In Memory Of
by Ryu-Takehshi
Summary: Though the curse is long gone, the memory of Tohru still lives; especially for a young couple-descendants of her and Kyo But when the curse returns a new Tohru is put through much worse Will she choose her family over finally being accepted in the Zodiac?
1. Prologue

In Memory Of

Anime: Fruits Basket

Written By: Ryu-Takehshi

Prologue:

The young woman smiled brightly as she cradled her newborn baby girl in her arms and rocked her gently.

"Well now, what should we name you, little one?" she asked as the small baby giggled; her eyes twinkling as she smiled.

"You're smile is so cute!" the young woman remarked. "Maybe… Hey, do you wanna be named after one of the greatest people to ever live?"

The child giggled again.

"That's what I thought!" the woman laughed. "So it's settled then!"

"And have we decided on a name for our little girl?" a man's voice wondered. The woman turned around to see her husband walking towards her, carrying the baby's twin brother.

"Actually, yes…" she nodded at her baby girl. "We have come to an agreement, haven't we?" she asked the baby.

"Goo!" the baby smiled.

The woman smiled tenderly as the name rolled off of her tongue. _"Tohru…"_

The man smiled as well, as if remembering a very fond memory. He looked over to his wife and muttered. "Thank you…"

"And for our son?" the woman tilted her head at the little boy in her husband's arms.

The man rubbed his son's head and almost whispered, "Katsuya…"

The woman walked towards the baby crib and laid newborn Tohru down gently as the phone rang.

"Why don't you acquaint yourself with the _new_ Tohru?" the woman laughed as she left the room to get the phone.

The man laid Katsuya in the crib as well. He looked down at his daughter lying beside her brother and felt a warm feeling in his heart that he hadn't felt in a long while. He reached to touch her head and the baby grabbed tightly onto his finger.

"Hey Tohru…" he nodded as he bent down to lift her up. "Do you like that name? Tohru…? The first Tohru did a lot of great things, y'know?" he told her as he lifted little Tohru up.

_Poof…_

"N-no…! No!"

The woman came rushing back but paused when she saw her husband knelt on the ground, frozen with fear.

"W-what… happened? Where's Tohru?!" Her eyes drifted to a small, furry… something that lay beside her husband. She brought her hands to her mouth in shock and began to cry.

"No! Why…?" she exclaimed. "It's impossible! That was just a story!"

The man finally got himself together as he shook his head and turned to his wife. "Where's that box? You know… my family heirloom box?"

His wife's trembling hand pointed towards their curio cabinet. "I-in there…"

"Good, now… get some string."

The woman nodded and bolted out of the room, frantically trying to piece together what was going on.

The man stood quickly and opened up the cabinet. There, he found a small wooden box and carefully lifted the cover. Inside the box were large beads, coloured black and white. He closed the box and brought it over to the small, furry thing that had become of his daughter, just as his wife came sprinting back with an elastic string.

"We'll have to adjust it as she gets older, but for now it'll settle as a necklace." He stated as he strung the beads onto the string and made a necklace.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry Tohru…" the man sighed. He put the necklace around her, or rather _its, _neck and suddenly noticed, "Wait… what if…?" He turned back to his wife. "Pick up Katsuya for me…" he told her.

"Tell me what's going on!" she demanded.

"Please," he told her, putting his arms on her shoulders, "we need to be sure about this, so pick up Katsuya."

She looked down at their peacefully sleeping son. She gulped and bent down to bring Katsuya into her arms.

_Poof…_

The woman cried louder and knelt to the ground just like her husband did. Another small, furry thing appeared next to her.

The man sighed again as he tried to fight back tears. "No… It wasn't supposed to happen like this…"


	2. Did You Hear About Mizunashisan?

Chapter 1: Did You Hear About Mizunashi-san?

"There, that's _her_ isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's _her._"

Two high-school boys were whispering about a girl in their class, who happened to walk by. The boys stood erect.

"G-good morning Mizunashi-san…"

She gave them a sideways glance for a moment, and then nodded, "Good morning…" and, simply walked away.

"Man, she's so cool." One boy remarked.

"And she's really cute too." The other nodded.

"Is it true that she hasn't gone out with _anyone_ in her entire life?"

"Yeah, I heard that whenever someone confesses to her the only thing she says is 'sorry' and then walks away."

"Sucks… Too bad her looks have gone to waste."

"That won't stop people from trying, y'know. That mysterious kind of attitude will attract anyone. Plus, she never talks in class, even though she gets like 90's, _and_ she just disappears at lunch and after school. She probably goes home though…"

"Oh, I also heard that she lives with her mom. I can't remember if it was a divorce or a death in the family, but that's probably why she's so silent all the time."

"Most likely, and there was something about her mom being totally strict when it came to boys." He shrugged, "Well, she's got nothing to worry about since Mizunashi-san won't go out with _anyone_."

"Wait… you said _Mizunashi_ was her last name?"

"Yeah, what of it…?"

"Someone told me that she was a descendant of the Sohma clan."

The boy scoffed, "What? Have you been listening to your grandparent's old stories? The Sohma clan died out years ago…"

"No way…"

"Yeah, my grandparents told me that there was this incident; something about this girl falling off of a cliff… I don't really know for sure. But, after that either the guys of the family took on their wives' names or they changed it altogether. That way, the entire family was completely erased."

"That means she _could_ be a Sohma, right? What if she just has her mom's name or a completely new name from her dad?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. I heard that _everyone_ in the Sohma family was good-looking, incredibly smart, and well-known. She could pass for a Sohma."

"Well…" the boy sighed, "Besides that topic, we're getting a new kid today, aren't we?"

"Man, you switch topics fast…" the other boy remarked, "But, yeah… We're getting a new kid today; it's a guy though…"

The two boys shook their heads as they said in unison, "Too bad…"

Tohru Mizunashi, a first year in high school with short, crimson red hair cut exactly how she liked it - side-bangs, parted to the left, and longer in the front than in the back.

Though she was well admired and popular throughout her school, it was only because she barely ever spoke to anyone. In class she would keep to herself and at lunch she would leave the class to eat alone. But she never wanted to end up like this.

Her mom had told her to be very mindful of those around her. She had said that there are people in this world who could destroy her life and, in this way of thinking, Tohru learned not to get close to anyone except those in the small amount of family she was aware of.

She only knew her mother's side of the family, whom she liked well enough, even though her mother only had one sibling. To the extent of her knowledge, her father had left her and her mother when she was little. That was all Tohru had to know to completely detest her father; but she didn't know how wrong she was.

Tohru hadn't the slightest clue that everything her mother told her was to protect her from who she really was. Tohru was ultimately different from nearly everyone in the world; her mother knew that, her father knew that, and soon, it would become clear to Tohru that her difference wasn't exactly what she thought.


	3. Little Kitten

Chapter 2: Little Kitten

Tohru sat alone that lunch period, as she did _every_ lunch period. She had rejected around three guys today and felt no remorse.

Absentmindedly, she played with the necklace of large black and white beads around her neck. She had been wearing this necklace for as long as she could remember. Her mother had once said that it belonged to her grandfather and was passed down from generation to generation, and ended with her and her dad.

_Her dad…_

This necklace was the only link she had to the father she never knew, or would ever know, and she liked it this way.

Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, a small orange kitten appeared in front of her.

"Hmm…?" she turned towards the cat and smiled brightly; yes, Tohru Mizunashi had smiled. Only around animals, except for dogs and mice, and especially cats, did Tohru ever smile.

She stooped down and reached out her hand to pet it. The cat purred and moved closer. "How'd you get here…?" she wondered as she lifted the cat up to her lap. "I think I'll call you--"

"You know," a voice from behind cut her off, "You didn't strike me as an animal lover."

"Who--"

She turned quickly; slightly embarrassed that she let someone see the _real_ her. She had been too careless and let her guard down. Tohru was too paranoid.

Behind her, there stood a boy. He was definitely her age. He had very dark brown hair that was done up in spikes.

_ Not the really out-there kind of spikes like the crazy-people on TV, _Tohru thought, _They were a really well-done, cool-looking kind of spikes that actually matched his face._

"You're the new student in our class, right?"

The boy nodded, "Hey there, _Kitten…_"

"Actually, I was going to name him Kyo…" Tohru remarked. She wasn't one to talk much, but _he_ started the conversation, so she might as well play along.

The boy's face lit up as he sat next to her on the bench, "Kyo, huh, interesting choice of name; any reason behind it?"

The girl looked down at Kyo and pulled a smile, almost forgetting the boy's presence as she said, "He… he just kinda seems like Kyo; maybe it's the orange-ish colour… It reminds me of the name Kyo."

"Interesting…" the boy muttered, reminding Tohru that he was, in fact, still there, and had become the first person in the world to see her true smile. He reached out and petted Kyo on the cheek with the back of his hand.

Kyo suddenly snapped and bit the boy's hand before jumping down from Tohru's lap and scampering off.

Now, Tohru didn't really care whether the boy was here or not. She couldn't help but laugh at what had just happened. "Kyo doesn't seem to like you."

"I can see, or rather _feel_, that…" The boy pulled a pained, yet joking smile as he laughed, "Maybe he only has a thing for _Tohru's…_"

Tohru gave him a suspicious look, "How'd you know my name? Have I met you before?"

_If I had,_ Tohru thought, _It really wouldn't surprise me. How come I'm so calm around this new kid? He's not like the other people I've met. He kinda… seems like me…_

"Not officially Tohru-chan," he nodded, "but, I'm your cousin."

"My… WHAT?"

"Your cousin, I'm your cousin: Kaoru Sohma."

Tohru shook her head. "Now I know you're lying…" she told him, "Firstly, my mom's sister doesn't have any kids so, therefore, I have no cousins! And secondly, the Sohma family doesn't exist anymore! Ask anyone and they'll tell you!"

"Well," Kaoru started, "To argue against your first point, I'm from your father's side."

Tohru turned away, "I have no father…"

Ignoring that, Kaoru went on, "And besides, those beads around your neck are enough proof to tell me that I'm right."

Tohru's hand went up to her neck as she muttered, "M-my necklace…?"

Just then, the warning bell rang. Kaoru got up and walked towards the door, waving, "Well, it looks like we'll have to continue this later _Kitten_."

She gave him a quizzical look, "You weren't talking to Kyo when you said Kitten?"

He shook his head, "Obviously, I was talking to you," he smiled widely, "since you're a kitten!"

"I'm a… huh?" she asked as the second bell went off.

"Meet me at the gate after school and we'll talk, okay?" he smiled before walking off.

Tohru had the most confused look on her face as she packed up her bento and got to class. The only thing going through her mind was: "I'm a… w-what…?"


	4. God's Banquet

Chapter 3: God's Banquet

"Glad you came, Kitten." Kaoru smiled as he saw Tohru approaching him.

"Yeah well…" she shrugged because, honestly speaking, _she_ didn't even fully understand why she had come either. "They say curiosity killed the cat…"

Kaoru laughed, "Good choice of words!"

She rolled her eyes, "I get it, okay? I like cats. You don't have to make a crack at it every time it comes up in conversation."

Kaoru shook his head, "After I'm done explaining, even _you'll_ understand what's so funny!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing in the way that you're thinking, so don't worry." He nodded, "Well, let's walk, shall we?"

Tohru hesitated for a moment, but then followed. _How did he know which direction my house was in? Coincidence, right…? Maybe he lives the same way…_

Unbeknownst to the two supposed 'cousins', the boys from that morning, and a few others had seen all they needed to.

"N-no way…! Mizunashi-san _is_ going out with someone after all!" a boy remarked, pointing at Tohru walking off with Kaoru.

"So that's why she rejected me today…" another boy added, "Since there's no other possible reason."

"I can think of a couple!" Yet another mocked at the second boy.

Many other boys had chimed in by now; yelling things like: "There's no way they've been going out! That guy just moved here!"

"I thought her mom was strict against her going out!"

"What kind of spell did that new kid put on her anyway?"

_How wrong they were…_

Meanwhile, the two were walking away; completely oblivious to what was going on mere steps behind them.

"Alright, you got me to come with you, so start explaining." Tohru demanded.

"Well firstly, you have to accept the fact that we _are_ related. Otherwise it'll just seem like I'm idiotically speaking nonsense."

Tohru smirked and was about to speak when Kaoru put his finger up in front of her face to wait. He shook his head, "Don't even dare saying what you're thinking."

Tohru laughed, "Maybe we really _are_ related." She shrugged, "You know just how I think…"

"It's not exactly rocket science Kitten…"

"Are you going to keep calling me that?"

"You'd understand why if you'd just let me explain."

She sighed. "Fine, fine… _Hypothetically speaking_," she emphasised, "let's say I believe we're related and, in some weird, strange, impossible way…" she paused, "You and I are… somehow, Sohma's."

"Finally…!" Kaoru smiled, "Well, let's start by saying that you and I, and a bunch of others in the Sohma family… or what's left of it, anyway, are _very_ different from the rest of the world."

Tohru nodded, "Right. Now say that again, but this time, please make sense!"

Kaoru rolled his eyes, "Man, you're irritable."

"Shut up."

"_They're so alike, it's almost scary…"_ Kaoru thought.

"What're you grinning about?"

"It's nothing, really… Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Have you heard of the Chinese Zodiac?"

"Heard of it, yes," she answered; wondering how they had suddenly made the jump from their family ties into ancient history, "although, my mom never let me research much on it."

"What of it do you know about?"

"Well… Every year it's a different animal, right? And, there are twelve animals in the zodiac. I can't name them all off but I know there's a sheep, and a rat, and a… snake too? Oh, I _do_ know that there definitely isn't a cat, that's too bad."

Kaoru nodded, "Mhmm, go on…"

"And umm… people's personalities can be predicted by what year they're born in; that's it, isn't it?"

"In perspective, you've got the gist of it. But, you forgot the most crucial part."

"Which is…?"

"God's banquet…"

"Huh…? What's that?

"Did you know that there was really supposed to be a cat in the zodiac? That makes the count thirteen animals instead of twelve."

Tohru gave him an increasingly usual confused look. _He can go through topics like water through a dribble cup._ She smiled a little, courtesy of the little prank demon inside of her. Although, she was also happy to discover that the cat would've been in the zodiac, but she thought it over.

"Wouldn't the cat throw off the whole system though?" she asked, "It won't work with the number thirteen; it has to be even, right?"

He gave her a quizzical look. "So, you _don't_ want the cat in the Zodiac, after all?"

She scoffed, "Of course I want the cat in the Zodiac! Why can't they just kick another animal out? The worthless rat should do just fine!"

Kaoru smirked, muttering, "Interesting…"

"Seriously, is that your favourite word or something?"

He laughed, "So it is…"

She rolled her eyes; she quickly had become used to his presence - his smile, his laugh, and his annoying way of jumping through subjects in the blink of an eye. She wouldn't mind spending a little more time with him.

Kaoru stopped walking, causing Tohru to do the same, silently waiting for the rest. "This should shine a light on a few more things…"

He began the story of God's Banquet; how the rat had tricked the cat into thinking the banquet was a day later than it really was and how the cat was, in turn, completely abandoned and shunned from the rest of the animals.

Tohru was silent for a long while, but she finally spoke up. "T-that's… That's all the more reason to kick the rat out! God is all-knowing so he should have found out the rat's trick at some point! The cat deserves a place in the Zodiac way more than that self-serving little…"

"Rat…?"

"Yeah, that's why it's a rat! He turned against the cat for who knows why and now thanks to that stupid rat…" her rant had suddenly lost its volume as she nearly whispered, "the cat can't be in the Zodiac anymore…"

She didn't understand it at all. Why had saying those words suddenly made her feel like the loneliest person on the planet? Images of a dark cage, people in panic and the silhouette of some kind of monster ran through her head. The sounds of screaming and small objects falling one by one rang through her ears. _What was going on?_

She held her head in her hands and crouched on the floor, hoping that would make it stop. Kaoru quickly went down beside her. "Hey Kitten…! Tohru, are you alright?!"

She shook her head, "I-I'm fine…" She looked right up into Kaoru's red-ish brown eyes and stated, "Okay. Whatever you're trying to prove, I believe you know! I believe that we're cousins, I believe my father's still out there, I believe that the Sohma family is still in existence, and I'll believe whatever else you have to say." Her determined look quickly turned into that of a scared, lost child as she said, "I-I don't know what's going on anymore…"

After awhile, Tohru and Kaoru were back to walking and talking; and Tohru was back to her old self.

"So… before, you said that we're _very_ different from other people in the world, how come?"

Kaoru sighed, "This is the hard part so, let me just start by saying that I really don't expect you to believe me."

Tohru wanted to say: "I said I would believe anything you say" but that sounded too naïve a statement now. She would debate on whether it was possible or not _after_ he told her.

"Shall I go on? No matter what you may think after I tell you and no matter how far-fetched it seems, what I say now is complete truth…"

He breathed in and out, and began. "There are thirteen people in the Sohma family, you and I included, that are possessed by the twelve vengeful spirits, and the cat, of the Chinese Zodiac. No one knows why or how it happened but our family has been cursed this way since ages ago. This curse is as strange as its origin and through generations, these vengeful possessions have been passed down. Each person is possessed by a different animal in the Zodiac. For example, one of our cousins is the snake and another is the cow; and this is very important. Whenever anyone in the Zodiac is weak, or more commonly, when they are hugged by someone from the opposite gender who isn't in the Zodiac, they… _we_ transform into our designated animal. We do, however, transform back into a human after awhile. The reason I call you _Kitten_ is because you are possessed with the most vengeful spirit of all: the cat. I need you to realize that you belong to something that many people look past. You and I, and the rest of the twelve… no, thirteen, we're all part of that special group."

"W-wait…" Tohru's voice was quiet. "You said that there _was_ no cat in the Zodiac…"

"Y-yes, well… Let's say that the cat is… the most _unique_ kind of curse in the Sohma family. In fact, the cat before you even made a deal." He told her jokingly. "He said that if he beat the rat in a fight, he would then be accepted into the Zodiac."

Tohru had a blank expression painted across her face. She sighed, "I'm sorry Kaoru… I waited for the part that would clear everything up, but I didn't hear it. I thought you'd explain everything but I'm just as lost as when we were at school." Her voice was getting increasingly more annoyed with each word spoken.

Kaoru smirked unfittingly as he shrugged, "Yeah well, I didn't expect you to believe me anyway!" He paused. The two had already made it to Tohru's house and Kaoru eyed a certain car that definitely didn't belong to Tohru's mother. _"They came out already, huh?"_ he muttered before turning to face Tohru again.

"Anyway, meet me at school, tomorrow when you're ready to leave, 'kay?" He smiled before walking off in the opposite direction.

"Leave? What're you talking about? Kaoru!" she shouted after him.

"See you at school tomorrow… _Kitten…_" And with that, he crossed the street and disappeared behind a corner.

Tohru's face showed nothing but anger and annoyance as she yelled, "STOP CALLING ME THAT!" She then, stormed up the steps and into her house.


	5. Break the Code

Chapter 4: Break the Code

Tohru burst through the front door of her house and shrugged off her school bag, slamming the door angrily behind her.

"Stupid Kaoru…" she muttered, "Who the hell does he think he is?"

She removed her shoes at the welcome mat, only to see two pairs of unfamiliar shoes, not belonging to her or her mother. _"Company…?"_

"Mom…?" she called out as she walked down the hallway and into the living room.

On one couch sat her mother, legs crossed and arms folded as she leaned back on a cushion. On the other couch, sitting opposite to it, there was a couple sitting down.

The man had short, light-brown hair and mischievous eyes that were a darker, deeper shade of brown. His arm was rested around the shoulder of what seemed to be his wife.

She was a petite woman with short, nearly golden (if not, dark blonde) hair and lighter, brighter brown eyes than that of her husband's.

"Oh Tohru, you're home…" her mother smiled.

"Yeah… hey mom…" she said slowly, suspiciously and never taking her eyes away from the new couple seated on the couch. "Umm…" she began, as outspoken as ever, "I didn't know we were having guests…"

"This is your Aunt Kisa and your Uncle Hiro…" her mother explained.

"Oh…" Tohru nodded slowly, the same kind of suspicious tone never leaving. "I… didn't know you had other siblings, mom…"

"N-no… actually," her mother bit her lip before continuing, "T-they're from your father's side…"

Right away, Tohru's eyes lit up. _Father's side… they were from her father's side of the family, huh?_

"_They _sure seem to be popping up everywhere…" Tohru muttered to herself.

"Oh my…" the woman, Aunt Kisa, broke in. Her voice was quiet and soft, almost like a shy little kid; the kind that always got bullied. "T-those beads…" She put a hand to her mouth in refined shock.

Tohru's hand moved quickly to the necklace around her neck. "M-my necklace…?" she asked; a question more to herself than anyone else.

The man, Uncle Hiro, squeezed her shoulder, as if to console her as he whispered, "Kisa…"

Tohru's mother looked from the couple, down at the teacup in her hand, and then over to Tohru. "Tohru… sweetie, don't you have homework to do? Why don't you go to your room while we have a talk between adults…?"

"Sure, yeah… okay…" Tohru nodded; the suspicious tone of voice returning as she walked back to the front to retrieve her bag.

Tohru's mother and company waited until the sounds of Tohru's socked feet padded up the staircase and finally ceased altogether, before sighing heavily in relief and resuming their conversation.

"Poor child…" Kisa whimpered.

Meanwhile, Tohru had gone upstairs and, within fifteen minutes, had completed her homework. For awhile, she lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling as her favourite music blared through her speakers.

She was trying to make sense of it all. First, a new kid -Kaoru- comes in, claiming that she's his cousin and, even more, that they're part of the long gone Sohma family who has a curse to turn into Zodiac animals when hugged.

_C'mon, seriously? Which Shoujo manga did he get this from? _

Kaoru had told her that he was from her "might-as-well-be-dead-for-what-he-did-to-her-family" father's side and right when she had refused to believe a word he said, her apparent "aunt and uncle" appear at her house.

She got up from her bed and turned off her music. "Well, I won't find out anything by sitting here…" Slowly, she opened her door and tiptoed down a couple of steps of stairs before sitting down on them. From where she was sitting, she had a pretty good viewpoint of the living room, but could scarcely hear the conversation.

"He's told him, right?" Tohru knew her mother's voice right away.

"Of course," Uncle Hiro's voice replied. "Everyone at the estate knows."

"_He_ wants to meet her, you know." Aunt Kisa said in an intonation that could only mean she was referring to another _him._

Tohru leaned in closer because it had suddenly gotten too quiet for her to hear; as if the new _'him' _was not something to be taken lightly. She could barely make out sentences anymore, but she knew Uncle Hiro was speaking.

"_Sent… horse… wants… see… cat…"_

Then, Tohru heard Aunt Kisa, who had a quieter voice compared to her husband's and was even harder to understand.

"_Thinks… could… one… the curse… like… predecessor…"_

Tohru leaned in as far as she could without being seen, but still couldn't decode what her aunt and uncle had said. When she had leaned her definite farthest, however, she heard one thing loud and clear.

"Alright…" Tohru's mother stated in her "_let's finish this up_" kind of voice.

"I'll head up there and talk to her…"

Tohru's eyes widened as she bolted back to her room. She jumped onto the bed and turned the volume of her music all the way up.

Her mother walked in at a fraction of a second that Tohru had entered her room. "Tohru, honey…" she began as Tohru sat up, lowered the music, and feigned the surprise of her mother's little visit.

"Tohru, you… you'll be going on a little trip for the next few weeks."

Tohru's ears perked up. "Trip…? How come…?"

"To visit some of your father's family…"

_Man… they seem to come up a lot in conversation recently._

"You'll have to pack your bags, okay?"

"What about school…?"

"I'll write you up a note to excuse you, how's that?"

"Where am I going?"

"You'll find out tomorrow. In fact, a cousin of yours will--"

Tohru rolled her eyes and muttered, "Ughh, Kaoru…"

Her mother's eyes widened, "You've met him?"

She scoffed, annoyed, "Yeah… He just moved here apparently."

Her mother giggled a little. "That's good to hear…" She smiled as she moved Tohru's side bangs and kissed her forehead. "He'll explain everything to you… Now, start packing…" she told her as she walked out of her room.

Tohru sighed heavily as she got out her travel bag, "Damn you Kaoru…" She definitely wasn't in the mood for _another_ one of his explanations.


	6. My Way or the Highway

Chapter 5: My Way or the Highway

Tohru walked onto her high school's grounds, an hour before the bell, with nothing more than a genuinely annoyed look on her face as she rolled her travel bag behind her. The only people inside the school at this time were the few teachers that probably didn't have a life other than school, and club members that had to meet early in the morning. Tohru shuddered; why would people actually come _early_ to school?

She wasn't in the position to ask that question, however. And, she knew that instantly when she heard a voice ahead of her.

"I knew you'd come around, Kitten…" Kaoru stood in front of her and waved.

Tohru didn't think she could feel more annoyed, but got thoroughly proved wrong when she saw Kaoru's cocky "I-told-you-so" smile.

"For the record…" Tohru told him, "I still don't believe _anything_ you told me. My mom was the one who made me come."

Kaoru sighed, "Did you have anything in mind that would make you believe me?"

Tohru smiled smugly, "Ehh…? Why do you ask? Have you given up on proving it to me by your own means?"

Kaoru retaliated with an even smugger smile, saying, "No, actually… I just wanted to get all of your pointless acts out of the way before I prove it to you."

Tohru gave it a moment's thought before suddenly rushing at him and tightly wrapping her arms around him.

"W-what the heck…?" Kaoru exclaimed, his face blushing like mad. "T-Tohru-chan…!"

Tohru held on for a fraction of a second before pushing away and looking back at the horribly embarrassed boy with the same "I-told-you-so" smile from a moment ago.

"W-what the hell…?" Kaoru shouted, trying hard to hide his red face.

Her face, her unwavering expression that greatly differed from Kaoru's, looked calmly back at him as she nodded. "That proves my point…"

"What point…?" Kaoru asked, his face slowly returning to its normal colour.

"_My_ point," she answered matter-of-factly. "You said that when someone is hugged by the opposite gender, they transform into their animal. You said I'm a cat and I've yet to transform; therefore: I win!"

Kaoru smiled, amused at her flimsy reasoning, as he told her, "If you had _listened_ to what I was saying beforehand, you'd remember I said that: _'…when they are hugged by someone from the opposite gender who isn't in the Zodiac…'"_

"So? What does that matter to me?"

"Have you ever considered that _I_ may be in the Zodiac as well?" Kaoru laughed at Tohru's agape mouth; he had definitely won.

He patted her on the back, "Aww, I'm just messing with you Kitten!"

She shook her head, "So you're _not_ in the Zodiac?"

"Of course I am!" he nodded as he walked off, motioning for her to follow (as if she really had a choice). "Anyway, now let me prove this to you, _my way…_"

"W-wait, what…?" Tohru called as she ran after him. _Damn it Kaoru… _she thought as she ran, _You really have a habit of vague answers!_

Kaoru led her all the way to a small park before stopping to take a look around. "Now, we have to wait a bit…"

"How come…?"

"Don't worry yourself Kitten, sometimes you have to wait for the answers to come to you."

"So, you're basically saying that you didn't plan this out very well?" she asked sarcastically.

"No," he answered quickly, "I'm saying that we have to wait until every circumstance is met before you can get your answer."

Tohru rolled her eyes, muttering to herself, "Nah, my theory sounds more probable."

"Would it kill you to be agreeable for, like, five minutes?!"

Tohru thought for a moment and laughed, "Yeah, pretty much!"

Kaoru was about to reply, but was cut off by the sounds of voices coming down the pathway that split the park in two. A group of boys were walking through the park, probably on their way to the soccer field; judging by their uniforms and the black and white ball they had on hand.

"Finally," Kaoru sighed, "Now the proper circumstances have been met."

"Is that really how you speak, or are you just trying to sound cool by talking differently?" Tohru asked sarcastically.

"Are you making it your personal mission to tease me today?" he answered with another question.

"A little bit, yeah." She nodded, "I got nothing better to do and it sure beats sitting in school all day."

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "Well then, let's _give_ you something to do, like proving my point for instance." He told her as he grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her towards the group of boys.

"W-what are we doing?" Tohru wondered.

"What I _just_ said! We're proving my point!" Kaoru told her as he led her all the way to the boys.

Some of the group, who went to the same high school as the two, recognized their quiet princess and her despicable kidnapper right away.

"M-Mizunashi-san, w-what are y-you doing here?" one of them asked.

Tohru snatched her wrist away from Kaoru, glaring at him as she folded her arms. "Why don't you tell them, Kaoru…" she said with gritted teeth.

Kaoru smiled brightly at the group of males as he waved. "Good morning all!"

"There goes his dual personality again…" she muttered under her breath.

Kaoru put his hands on Tohru's shoulders, as if presenting her to them, as he went on. "Tohru-chan and I were just out for a walk and she wanted to come and say hi, didn't you Tohru-chan?"

The way he had said that obvious threat, given the fact that he was smiling like a madman, gave Tohru the mental image of him as some kind of crazed psychopath. She laughed (which came off as more of scoff to those around her), thinking about everything he told her; maybe that thought process wasn't too far off.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Uhh, yeah… G-good morning guys…" She waved slightly.

Everything that happened next was a complete blur to Tohru and to the group of boys as well. Tohru felt a push from behind. _Definitely Kaoru…_ she thought, _definitely…_ After being pushed, something resembling a _Poof…_ kind of sound was heard, followed by the group of boys yelling. Then, suddenly, Tohru's vision faded to black.

* * *

A/N: Well, I'm just about at the incline to the hill of awesome-ness that is: this fanfic (I can't believe I just typed that! XD) In other words, I'm getting to the really, really good parts. Reviews are welcomed, appreciated, pondered, and hoped for… because the author (me) is in denial and thinks that no one is reading; mostly because she is paranoid. So umm… yeah! Reviews!!!


	7. Penny for your Thoughts

A/N: Please excuse my little rant in the last chapter's A/N's - I'm sick and I tend to "Charanari" (shugo chara reference, for those who get it - it's supposed to mean I change my character randomly) when I'm not feeling my best. I just typed whatever came to my head (although reviews would be nice)… Crap, I think I'm doing it again… I'll shut up for now, so uhh… Enjoy~! (I'm addicted to Miles Edgeworth Ace Attorney Investigations!! Okay, _now_ I'll shut up…) Back to Kaoru and Tohru in: In Memory Of…

* * *

Chapter 6: Penny for Your Thoughts

"K-kitten… Tohru-chan! C'mon, wake up already!"

Tohru's head pounded like crazy as she slowly opened her eyes. Right in front of her was a giant, slightly blurred image of Kaoru's face.

Her eyes shot open and the image came into focus; it wasn't blurred anymore, but still incredibly huge. "W-whoa… Why the hell are you so close to me?"

"Actually," he shrugged, "I'm not all that close to you at all…"

"T-then, huh…?" Her head was spinning and she had come to the conclusion that her depth perception somehow became impaired when she had passed out.

"You're mom told you to pack a mirror, right?" Kaoru inquired, holding her travel bag in his hand.

"Y-yeah…"

"Alright then," he nodded as he slowly unzipped the bag, "Please forgive my intrusion…"

"H-hey Kaoru, y-you're not allowed to look through that!" she exclaimed, though couldn't move her body, so was helpless and forced to watch as Kaoru went through her bag.

"Hmm…? Hey, what's this…?" he wondered as he pulled out a small white envelope from the bag.

"I-it's nothing, d-don't touch it!" Tohru pleaded, "C'mon Kaoru, it isn't cool to look through my stuff!"

Completely ignoring her little antics, he opened up the letter and read it aloud.

_My dearest Tohru,_

_I'm sorry… I'm not there with you and I guess I never will be. Feel free to hate me but whatever you do, NEVER hate your mother… for anything. None of this is her fault so there's no reason to feel any hatred towards her. Direct it all, if any, towards me - for I'm the one who truly deserves it. I want you to be strong and take care of your mother. Listen to her, help her, and do anything and everything she tells you. That's all I ask._

_ Too bad we couldn't have met,_

_ Dad_

Kaoru held it in silence for awhile; staring at the words and, more importantly, what was there between the words. He turned to Tohru and bit his lip, as if considering actually saying what he was thinking - it seems he decided to.

"I thought… you said that you hated your father…" He said this, not in his usual cocky, 'I-know-everything' tone, but in an extremely empathetic tone that Tohru had never heard him use.

"I do!" she answered quickly, "Oh, don't get me wrong, I loathe him for leaving me and my mom."

"Then, why would you keep this with you?"

"Well… It's… it's just that…" Tohru averted her gaze and looked off into nothingness.

"W-what is it…?"

She scoffed, "Why the hell do you think I'd tell you?! You've been teasing me and making fun of me for three days now."

"Correction." He pointed out, "_You_ were making fun of _me_, so I guess you could call it--"

"Justified self-defence…" the two said in unison.

"H-huh…? Are you into law?" Kaoru wondered.

"Damn, it looks we _do_ have something in common." Tohru laughed slightly.

"But… back to this letter. And, I _promise_ I won't laugh at all!" Kaoru swore.

Tohru was silent for a moment, and then started, "Well, back in elementary, I got made fun of for… y'know, _not_ having a dad. To be honest, I don't give a damn where he is right now or what he's doing… but, that letter, told me that he was still out there. So it told me that those kids at school were wrong; I _had_ a father, I _still_ have a father… at least that's what the letter says anyway." She shook her head, "But, I still hate him! The other reason I kept it was so that if I ever _did_ meet him, I'd have it on hand to show him and send him on a guilt trip I hope he'd never recover from!"

Kaoru ran a hand through the spikes of his hair. "I see… But, you know what I think?"

"Hmm…?"

"Your dad is amazing. If you can read between the lines of this letter, you'll see it: love. He obviously still loves your mother and I'm sure he loves you too, but for one reason or another, he had to leave. And, you said it, you may not give a damn where he is or what he's doing… but, I've got a hunch that, wherever he is, he's thinking about you and your mom. That's the kind of guy he is."

"H-huh…? Have you met him?"

"Uhh… At least that's what I can grasp from this letter of his…"

"Oh…" Tohru nodded a little tinge of disappointment in her voice. She smiled softly, "Thanks Kaoru…"

Kaoru smiled back before suddenly turning his attention back towards her travel bag. "Anyway… back to looking for that mirror!"

"Whoa… Hey, nice way to kill the mood Kaoru! We were just having a moment here!"

"Yes, I know and it was quite touching!" he said as he continued to rummage through her bag. "But, I have to show you before the time runs out, or we'll have to go through all of this again! We have to make it in this time limit."

"Time limit to what…?"

"This." He quickly brought out the mirror and reflected it at Tohru.

All she saw was a small, crimson red, kitten with a black and white beaded collar around its neck reflecting in the mirror.

"Aww… it's a cute little kitten!" Tohru said in her childish 'animal-lover' voice.

"Aww…" Kaoru mimicked before looking over to her from behind the mirror. "No, it's you…" he said flatly.

"W-what…?" Tohru motioned to lift up her hand and touch the surface of the mirror and, in the reflection, saw the kitten reach up and lift its paw up as well.

"I told you that you're a kitten." Kaoru nodded. "Now do you believe me?"

"Y-yeah Kaoru…" she muttered quietly and fearfully. "N-now I believe you…"


	8. I'm a Believer

Chapter 7: I'm a Believer

Tohru stood on all four of her newly attained cat legs and waved her tail around. "So… you really were telling the truth."

"Of course…"

"And… the Sohma family still exists…"

"Exactly…"

"A-and there are a bunch of people like me who can transform into animals…"

"Mhmm…"

"Ahh," she gasped, "What about those boys? Miruko-san and Tadashi-san, and the others too; they saw me transform!"

"Not to worry Kitten…" he reassured her as he scratched behind her cat ear. "A member of our family is adept at erasing certain memories from people's minds, if ever the secret was exposed… and it _has_ been on several occasions…" He looked up at the sky as he distantly said those words.

"So…" Tohru began, trying to switch the subject as subtly as Kaoru does. "How long do I stay a cat before I become my normal self again?"

Kaoru's face suddenly flushed red as he quickly picked up Tohru in her cat form, along with her and his travel bags, and brought them all to a group of bushes and trees. He placed her on the ground and crouched so that the two couldn't be seen.

"Kaoru, what the heck was that for?!"

Kaoru, refusing to look her in the eye, cleared his throat. "Ahem… t-thanks for reminding me kitten."

"Reminding you about what…?"

Kaoru's face had turned back to the shade of red that Tohru had only seen once that morning.

"R-right, T-Tohru-chan… I uhh…" Kaoru eyed her travel bag and went back into it, returning the letter into the pocket he had found it and going into the clothes compartment.

Tohru had known Kaoru long enough to understand that he called her "Kitten" when he was joking around, as in when he was acting like himself. He called her "Tohru" under extreme circumstances, like when she had passed out a moment ago. And, Kaoru only called her "Tohru-_chan_" when he was either acting or when he was embarrassed (as if the red face didn't give it all away anyway); he also spoke in a more refined, mature pattern when he didn't know what to do.

Before she could question anything, however, Kaoru stood abruptly and walked out of the bushes.

"Where are you going?"

"I-I'm not _going_ anywhere…" Kaoru's shaky voice replied from the other side of the bushes. "B-but… here…"

From the other side, he handed her a pile of folded clothes - the ones she had been wearing before all of this happened. When Tohru saw certain articles of clothing in the pile that should never be seen outwardly (especially by those who were of _Kaoru's gender_), her crimson red cat face burned.

"What… the… HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH THOSE?!" she exclaimed as she snatched them away from his hands.

"Trust me; I had absolutely _no_ enjoyment whatsoever in picking them up after you transformed…"

"Yeah," she puffed, "You'd _better_ not have! But, you still haven't answered my question!"

"Well what'd you expect; that your clothes would just magically shrink or something?!"

"I just transformed into a cat! I'm willing to believe _anything_ at the moment!"

"Well it doesn't work that way! Anyway," he cleared his throat again. "You uhh… might want to keep those on hand for a couple more seconds…"

"H-how come…?" Tohru didn't like where this was going.

"Well… remember what I said about a time limit…?"

_Poof…_

"Aaaaiiiieeee…!"

Kaoru cringed, "Y-yeah… I uhh, tried to warn you… Don't worry, there isn't anyone around…"

"K-K-K… KAORU!!!" she yelled.

"I feel like _sorry_ doesn't really compensate for what just happened… But, hey just think: everyone in the family has to go through it! Does umm, that make it any better?"

"Make it any better…?" she shouted, "Kaoru, I'm… I'm…"

"Please, I'm begging you… don't remind me!"

Two minutes later, Tohru walked out of the bushes fully dressed in her human form and Kaoru had already calmed down. "Hey Kitten, your face is the same colour as your hair!"

"Shut up!" she yelled as she punched him in the gut.

Kaoru winced, "Y-yeah… I deserved that… But, at least you believe me now!"

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes, "Now I believe you. Is that all?"

"Of course not," Kaoru nodded, "there's still a lot to show you about our family!"

Tohru sighed, as if prepping herself for something. "Well alright Kaoru, lead the way!"

Kaoru pointed out the direction but, paused and thought for a moment. "H-hold up, say that again? The sarcasm you put into that sentence was too subtle for me to catch."

"That's because there wasn't any." Tohru shrugged.

Kaoru was taken aback. "Whoa, did your personality change along with your clothes?"

Tohru glared at him and Kaoru smiled back hesitantly. "S-sorry… I won't mention bring that up…"

"Yeah…" Tohru agreed, turning away to hide the new shade of red that added to her complexion. "J-just… pretend it never happened."

"But honestly, what's up with the sudden change of character?"

"Dude, I just got turned into a frickin' cat!" she exclaimed. "I know a lied before and said that I would believe anything you said… and then didn't. But now's different! I've seen the proof and your argument stands… so tell me anything and I'll believe you! I'm completely on board with this whole Sohma-family-curse-thing!"

"I'm glad I finally got through to you!" He pulled his cocky smirk, saying, "even though it was inevitable!"

"Okay, okay… I just agreed with you. There's no need to make such a big deal about it!"

"So you'll really believe anything I tell you?"

"Yeah, how many times do you want me to say it? Because, no joke, I'll put a limit on exactly how many!"

"Last time: Will you believe the next thing I say to you?"

"This'd better be the last time…" she muttered under her breath. She sighed, "Yes Kaoru… I'll believe it."

"Alright then," he folded his arms and nodded, "In the next fifteen minutes, we're going t meet God in person!"

Tohru recited the mantra in her head over and over again. _Believe him! Believe him! You said that you would no matter what so believe him!_

"Damn it Kaoru!" she sighed.

"What is it now?"

Tohru shook her head as she began in the direction Kaoru had pointed out. "Why the hell do you have to make it so damn hard to believe you?"

Kaoru laughed as he walked off with her. "I know… I know… The Sohma family is just… _unbelievable…_" He gave her a soft smile, "But thanks for giving it a try… kitten."

Tohru gave him a sarcastic smile. "Are you gonna continue to call me that?"

Kaoru's soft expression quickly transitioned into a playful one as he laughed, "There's that sarcasm I was looking for! And besides, _I_ already proved it to you! So why _can't_ I call you kitten?"

Tohru rolled her eyes, "You're such a kid…"

"I'm pretty sure I'm older than you, since my birthday's January 2nd. Bet you can't beat that!"

Tohru pouted, her birthday was long away in November. "Shut up…"

"Hah! Now who's the kid!" he said sticking his tongue out.

Tohru laughed heartily, "Yeah… it's still you Kaoru!"

Kaoru crossed his arms, "S-shut up!"

Tohru sighed contently as she punched him lightly in the arm, like best friends do. "I think we can make this work… cousin Kaoru."

Kaoru was shocked for a moment, and then smiled. "I think your right, _my little kitten of a cousin!_"

"Okay, now you're pushing it… Just stick to Kitten!"

"Ha-ha!" he smiled triumphantly as he ran off ahead. "I win!" he called from down the pathway.

"D-damn it Kaoru… get back here!" Tohru laughed as she ran after him; not even wondering how Kaoru had gotten so far so quickly or, for that matter, just _what_ animal Kaoru was in the Zodiac.

* * *

Can you guess what animal Kaoru is? I think I mentioned it in Chapter 4. Bored people and/or non-lazy people can go check.


	9. Time to Join the Banquet

Chapter 8: Time to Join the Banquet

"So uhh… Where exactly are we going?" Tohru questioned.

"How mad would you be if I said I had no idea?"

"WHAT…?"

Kaoru burst out laughing. "Only joking, Kitten! Man, when you say you'll believe anything I tell you, you really stick to it, huh?"

Tohru glared at him, "Have I ever told you that I hate you?"

"Yeah!" he nodded, "Five minutes ago when you fell for the same trick!" He went back into his laughing fit.

Tohru rolled her eyes and sighed disapprovingly, "Are we getting any closer to… wherever?!"

"Pffttt… Mmmph…" Kaoru muttered, trying very little to stifle his laughed, "Mmm… ahem… Y-yeah, it's just a little further…"

Tohru shuddered, "I don't know what's more frightening: the fact that I've spent nearly two whole days with you or the fact that I'm getting used to it!"

"Aww…!" Kaoru laughed, giving her a joking hug, "You're my favourite cousin too Kitten!"

"Cut it out Kaoru I'm gonna--!" Tohru paused as Kaoru released and took a step back.

"You're gonna… what?" he tilted his head, "It's not like you're going to transform; we're _both_ in the Zodiac."

"Oh yeah, I forgot… Why is that, exactly? Why don't we transform when it's someone from the Zodiac?"

"I don't really know," he shrugged, "because God said so? You can ask him when we get there…"

"S-so you really weren't joking when you said we're going to meet God?"

"Yeah, I said that a while back."

"But… how is that even possible? How are we supposed to meet a deity?"

"It's easy!" Kaoru stated as if _she_ was the one spouting nonsense. "I've met him, like, a million times!"

"But… h-how?!" she demanded, "Damn it Kaoru, would it kill you to give a straight answer once and a while?!"

He laughed to himself and put a hand on her shoulder. "Tohru-chan…" He looked right in her confused eyes as he told her: "God's a Sohma too… We're going to the Sohma house, where those in the Sohma family tend to live. Now c'mon, let's go!"

Tohru stood there, mouth agape as Kaoru started walking off again. She shook her head and ran after him.

"What the heck?!" she exclaimed.

"What…?"

"You mean to say that the person who created you, me, and the ENTIRE frickin' world is part of our family?!"

"Hey, you called it _our_ family! Aww, that's so sweet of you Kitten!" He said with a joking sweetness in his voice.

She punched him in the arm. "KAORU…!"

He smiled, "Sorry, sorry…! C'mon, let me explain."

Tohru looked at him and shrugged, folding her arms. "Continue…"

"You're not _the real_ cat from the story, the one that got tricked by the rat, are you?"

_Rhetorical question,_ Tohru noted mentally.

"No one in the Zodiac, me included, is their _real_ animal that had been invited to God's banquet. We're only possessed by the spirit of our animal. The only thing we know for sure about this curse is that these animal spirits were created and chosen for one, very specific purpose: to join that banquet."

"Okay…" Tohru, who had calmed down, nodded. "I understand that."

"But, we can't have a banquet without a host, right?"

Tohru's eyes widened as Kaoru continued. "So, one person in the Sohma family is born with the God Spirit. They're still under the same curse, you and me…" he shrugged, "although, when girls hug him, nothing happens. But still… he's a pretty cool guy."

"Is it alright to be talking about_ God_ like that?!"

"Of course it's alright," Kaoru told her, "since he's two years younger than us."

Tohru sighed, a frequent occurrence after she had met Kaoru Sohma. "Man, I gotta stop asking questions… Curiosity killed the cat and all."

Kaoru gave her a quizzical look as she smiled wearily. "The questions I ask always seem to produce more questions. Or, maybe it's just your answers!"

Kaoru laughed, "Yeah maybe, although, asking questions is good. That way, you're learning more and more about our family. But, anyway, I guess you don't have to ask anymore questions for now."

"And, here comes another question…" she rolled her eyes, "Why not…?"

"Well, because between me, God, and the rest of the family that you're about to meet, they'll probably give you the answers you want."

"I'm going to meet the rest of the family?!"

He looked at her in disbelief, although it was to be expected. She was learning these things all at once - the same things that Kaoru had had his whole lifetime to get used to. His disbelieving look changed to a sympathetic smile.

"Yeah you are. They're all in the Sohma estate waiting to meet you. Y'know, you're the only one who hasn't met everyone yet."

"That's 'cuz the stupid rat made me miss the banquet…" she muttered.

"Hey, you're getting it already! Good job Kitten!"

Tohru had only just remembered that he had given that nickname to her and the reason behind that nickname. It was then that she realized.

"Hey Kaoru…" she began. "What animal are _you_ in the Zodiac?"

"We're here…" Kaoru muttered. He had stopped walking and apparently hadn't heard her.

Tohru turned to where he was facing and stared in awe of the huge shrine-style home that she was in denial of never seeing in her lifetime. How could she have not noticed something this giant? She could only wonder.

Kaoru opened the front gate for her and gave her a welcoming smile, "Welcome to the Sohma Estate Kitten! And, welcome to the banquet!"


	10. Family Ties

Chapter 9: Family Ties

Tohru took a step back in awe of the great building. "O-Our family… lives here, in this HUGE house?!"

"Well, those in the Zodiac live in the main house at the back of the estate. All along the sides of the pathway are different houses where others in the Sohma family live." Kaoru explained.

"So there are people in the Sohma family who aren't in the Zodiac?"

"There are people in the Sohma family who don't even know about the Zodiac. You've now joined the elite few."

"There are thirteen; I wouldn't call that _few_…"

"Can't you let me bask in the moment for, like, two seconds?!" He shook his head and walked through the gates, "Well, let's get going!"

Tohru, as much as she wanted to, couldn't move. She was completely stunned in surprise of the large estate she should technically call 'home'.

Kaoru walked back and grabbed hold of her hand; Tohru blushed. "C'mon, you can't stop now after all we had to go through!"

Tohru tried to regain herself, "B-but I'm just amazed! The _whole_ Sohma family, which I thought never existed, lives in a giant estate like this!"

"Yeah," Kaoru added, "And some even live on their own outside this estate. Who knows, maybe you've even met an uncle or cousin and had no idea at all! Some people can even marry others and not know their from the Sohma family. It's a common occurrence."

"You mean, marry someone _in the same family_?!"

"Our family's huge; just take a look around at the size of this place! I bet millions of people have married relatives from the Sohma family. There were even people who did willingly, intentionally, in our great-grandparents' time."

"Oh, that was the first Tohru's generation, right?"

"Yeah and… Hey, you've already met a couple that married each other while knowing of their relation."

"I have…?"

"D-uh, the people that sent you here in the first place: Hiro and Kisa. They're both Sohma's _and_ they were even part of the Zodiac. They knew all of the former animals, and even Tohru!"

"So, if someone outside of the family hugged Hiro or Kisa, they'd still turn into their animal?"

"N-not exactly…" Kaoru muttered as his pace slowed down. They had finally reached the main house. "But, I'll let everyone else explain it to you."

He slowly slid open the door, as if for climactic effect, and the two walked into the main house.

"Whoa…"

Tohru had never seen such a wide variety of people in one area. To one corner, there was a tall, slender girl with long, dark green hair that, at the moment, was struggling to read a book while three boys were chatting with her, (or rather, _around_ her). On one other side, there was a boy and a girl sitting together; they looked to be taking care of some of the smaller members of the family. The boy had black hair whereas the girl had a silver-ish colour, nearly white. And there were many others running around.

Kaoru cleared his throat, which caused some of the group to look up, though that didn't seem to be his reason for doing so. "Ahem… Welcome home Kitten!" he smiled down at her.

She was just about to speak up when something rushed at her. Suddenly, there was a new face staring back at her; Tohru blinked in surprise. A small girl with bright blue eyes and short brown hair had jumped up to Tohru from who knows where and burst like the little ball of energy everyone, save Tohru, knew she was.

"No way, it's you, you're here?!"

It took a moment for Tohru to understand that she was actually staring back at was one of her newly discovered cousins and the second person she had met in the Zodiac.

"I'm Michiko!" the overly-hyper girl happily proclaimed. "Twelve-year-old Michiko Sohma, and, oh-my-gosh, I can't believe I finally get to meet you! You're the cat, right?! It's _soooo _awesome that you're here now! I've been waiting for, like forever, to meet you!"

Tohru simply stared, wide-eyed at the strange little girl that had exploded in her face, much to her discomfort. "Hey, Kaoru…" she muttered, "I thought you said that everyone hated the cat? I was kinda looking forward to it!"

"Huh? Oh, no actually, after the previous cat, your great-grandfather, _no one_ shut out the cat."

"Damn it…" she sighed under her breath. She tried to pull a smile at the small girl staring brightly at her. "Umm… H-hi Michiko," she bent down to meet her eye level. "I'm Tohru."

Michiko gasped dramatically, "No way!" she exclaimed, "You're named after the Great Tohru Honda-sama!"

"Umm, sure yeah… She was my great-grandmother."

"That's _soooo_ cool! And, hey, doesn't that make Kyo you great-grandfather too?"

"Y-yeah, I'm pretty sure it does." Tohru sighed, two minutes into a conversation with one of her cousins and she was already tired.

"Hey, hey… new-Tohru-chan, do you wanna play the game that old-Tohru-chan played? She was really, really, mega-awesomely, good at it!"

"Oh, you mean the guessing game?" Kaoru asked.

"Yeah Kao-nii, _that_ one…!"

"Wait, what game are you guys talking about."

"I'll explain it to her Mii-chan." Kaoru smiled, turning to Tohru who stood up straight again. "Since your great-grandmother was the first person _outside_ to learn about the curse and keep her memories, she played this game that the former dog thought up. She was to guess what animal someone was in the Zodiac when she met them."

"Oh, I get it… because their personality should match with their animal, right?"

"Exactly…" Kaoru nodded.

"Yeah new-Tohru-chan…!" Michiko jumped in, "Old-Tohru-chan was totally, epically, great at this game and she guessed everyone's! So, so, so… can you guess my animal?!"

Tohru didn't even need to think hard about it. Michiko was hyper, high-energy, and loved jumping and racing around; she even heard Kaoru from across the room, which meant she had good hearing. The only conclusion that could be drawn was…

"The rabbit…?" Tohru asked.

"Yeah, wow, you totally got it!" Michiko squealed happily, "You're just as good… No, totally, awesomely, on-par with old-Tohru-chan! Great job new-Tohru-chan, you rock mega-hard!" And, in saying that, Michiko contently skipped away.

"That was scary…" said Tohru after a short period of frightened silence.

Kaoru laughed, "Not to worry, not _all_ of the family is like that."

"That means some of them are!"

"Well, if you want to be pessimistic about it."

"Oh hey, Kaoru I wanted to ask what an--"

"Hey, let's go talk to some of the family over there." Kaoru, cutting her sentence off once again, grabbed her wrist and led her to the far-off corner where the green haired girl was reading her book and the three boys were set around harassing her.

"Whoa… _who_ is that…?" One of the boys remarked, standing up at the sight of Tohru.

This boy had a reddish brown hair colour and piercing yellow eyes. He was slightly taller than Tohru, as was Kaoru; (although Tohru came up to Kaoru's eyes) she only came up to this boy's shoulder.

"Hey guys," Kaoru called, "We've got the whole Zodiac here now."


	11. Deduction

Chapter 10: Deduction

The group understood Kaoru's statement right away: this girl was their lost, long-awaited cat.

"No joke…?" another boy, still sitting, asked. He had messy, light brown hair and playful amber eyes.

"This is the cat?" the last boy added. He had dark purple hair and, nearly fiery, red eyes.

The girl with the green hair simply looked up from her book and at Tohru for a fraction of a second, before returning her gaze to its previous downward position. Tohru had even caught a glimpse of her faded purple irises.

The boy, who had stood up first, quickly grabbed hold of Tohru's hand and kissed it. "Hey, I'm Torahku… Is your name as cute as your face?"

Tohru blushed slightly, as she muttered, "Tohru… uhh, S-Sohma, I guess."

The name _Tohru_ came as a shock to him for a moment, but he regained his cool quickly. "Tohru Sohma: The greatest name to be given…" he made a face, "except for that last bit."

Tohru looked confused, "You mean the Sohma-part? Isn't that your name too?"

Very dramatically, Torahku proclaimed, "Yes but, we're all Sohma's here." He stared right into her eyes, his yellow irises nearly glowing, and completely capturing Tohru's attention. "So what's your _real_ name, outsider?"

"T-Tohru… Mizunashi…"

He smirked, closing his eyes and severing the link between him and Tohru. "That's better." He gently let her hand down and cupped his chin, "You know, I can't help but feel like I've seen you before Mizunashi-chan. Have we met?"

"Not that I'm aware of…" Tohru answered.

"Duuuude!" the brown haired boy called, "No one, not even Neko-chan, wants to hear your cheesy pick-up lines!"

"It's not a pick-up line!" Torahku argued, "I actually swear that she looks familiar." He grabbed hold of her hand once again and used the same trick with his eyes to capture her attention. "_You_ believe me, right Mizunashi-chan? Could it possibly be fate?"

Quickly, and unexpectedly, Kaoru pushed Torahku's hand away from Tohru's. "I think that's quite enough Torah-nii." He said, trying to speak nonchalantly, but having obvious annoyance in his voice.

"Whoa hey Kaoru, what's the problem?" Torahku was a little shocked; within the walls of the Sohma estate, Kaoru wasn't one to be so outspoken.

"Saru-nii is right," Kaoru nodded, crossing his arms, "None of us are in the mood to hear your annoying pick-up lines."

"I don't really know about that Kaoru…" The boy with dark purple hair stood up and walked over to Tohru.

_Man, everyone's taller than me damn it!_ She sighed, _Oh, except for Michiko-chan and those little kids… But they don't count!_

He looked hard at Tohru before nodding, "She does seem to have an air of familiarity. And even in saying that, Torahku's pick-up lines are, nonetheless, still terrible."

"Thanks guys don't hold anything back." Torahku muttered sarcastically. He shook his head, "But, anyway… what's up with _you_ today Kaoru? You're gone for two days and then suddenly come back as a different person?"

"I'm not acting any more different than I usually act." Kaoru reasoned.

"Yes you are…" a sharp, feminine voice interjected.

The girl with the book stood as well, placing said book gently on the ground as she walked up to Tohru and Kaoru. She gave them a calculating stare before concluding. "Looks like lil' Kao-chan is jealous… Tell me Kaoru, do you have a habit of crushing on someone after only being two days in their company?"

Tohru and Kaoru's faces turned scarlet red. Kaoru was first to object, only because he cut Tohru off as he usually did. "I-It's nothing like that! I was only assigned to bring Tohru-chan here!"

"Exactly!" the only boy sitting remarked, "So why'd you start crushing on her if it wasn't in your job description? That's so unlike you Kaoru!"

"N-no seriously, why would there be _anything_ between me and Kaoru?" Tohru protested as well. "I mean, we're cousins, as in, _related_!"

The four teens gave her a disapproving look and Kaoru just sighed in disappointment. He leaned over and whispered to her. "Yeah Kitten, that argument holds no water… I told you, people can marry each other in the Sohma family and not care, remember…?"

"W-well there _still_ isn't anything going on!" she nodded, trying to regain what little pride she had left.

The boy still sitting rocked on his back and, finally, stood. "I like you Neko-chan!" he laughed, "You're pretty funny!" He extended his hand and smiled playfully, "The name's Sarutoubi - Sarutoubi Sohma!"

The purple haired boy bowed his head slightly and said, "Ryusuke Sohma…"

Tohru looked to the girl, who simply pulled a kind smile - the first that Tohru had seen on her - as she told her, "I'm Akane Sohma, pleased to finally meet you, Tohru-san."

"Y-yeah," Tohru nodded, "Umm, nice to meet all of you too!"

"Well Kitten," Kaoru began, "can you guess their animals?"

"Oh, Neko-chan's playing the old Tohru's game too?" Sarutoubi wondered.

"Well then, Tohru-san, allow me to give you a hint." Akane said. "Besides me, these three idiots are fairly easy to guess."

"Don't tell her that Akane-nii, it'll be too easy now!" Sarutoubi beckoned.

"Can you guess Kitten? Here, let's go one-by-one and start with Torah-nii. You may not have been able to see most of what little personality he has…"

"Thanks Kaoru… that was _really_ nice to say when I'm standing **right next to you**!" Torahku muttered.

"His eyes are a dead-giveaway." Akane added. "In fact, he showed you his power just a moment ago."

Tohru thought it over; Torahku was swift, wild, unpredictable and his eyes… You were frozen, completely taken over when he looked at you. Like an animal and its prey like a… _Wait, what did Akane-san say again?_ Tohru thought,_ The three were fairly easy to guess, right? And, what did Kaoru call Torahku: Torah-nii, right? Torah… Sarutoubi… Ryusuke…_

"I've got it!" Tohru concluded.

"Alright, what's Torah-nii's animal?" Kaoru asked.

Tohru smiled smugly, "I know _all_ of there animals… well, except for Akane-san."

Akane's eyebrow rose as Tohru recited. "Torahku-san is the tiger. He captures you with his eyes, just like a tiger does to his prey. And, besides that, _Tora_ is Japanese for tiger. After I discovered that, the other two were even easier. Even though I haven't seen most of your personalities, I know that the _Ryu _in Ryusuke means dragon, and you kinda seem like a dragon, Ryusuke-san. Also, _Saru_ means monkey and Sarutoubi-san seems kind of playful like a monkey."

Akane applauded her hands lightly, like a refined woman. "Well played Tohru-san, you hit the three nails right on their idiotic heads."

"Akane, don't be mean." Ryusuke scolded.

"But, even still, awesome work Kitten!" Kaoru beamed.

Tohru ignored their praise and stared right at Akane. "I can't seem to get yours though…"

Akane smirked, "Find it out on your own…" And with that, she picked up her book and stepped out of the room, Ryusuke following her. Akane's socked feet padded their way down the hallway outside of the room, only to stop and come walking back. She peered through the doorway, saying, "Oh Kaoru… you might want to pay your _best friend_ a visit. He was looking for you for the past two days."

"No one bothered to tell him where I was?"

Akane shrugged and motioned for him to come, "Let's go, we're going to pass his room on the way."

Kaoru nodded and turned to Tohru, "I'll leave you in the care of Torah-nii and Saru-nii, kay'?"

Sarutoubi smiled brightly, "I'll take good care of her U…" he paused, as if rephrasing something. "Ahh, I mean Kaoru…"

Kaoru smiled knowingly at him before turning back to Tohru and messing up her red hair with his hand. "Be a good Kitten, okay?" And, in saying that, he walked off with Ryusuke and Akane.

Tohru scoffed, "Tch, what am I, five?!" She rolled her eyes as she walked off with Sarutoubi and Torahku. "Stupid Kaoru…"


	12. Not So Happy Reunion

Chapter 11: Not-So-Happy-Reunion

"Kaoru…? Kaoru…? Damn, where the hell are you?!" A young boy shook his head as he walked down one of the many hallways in the Sohma Estate. "Leaving for two frickin' days without telling me…? Who the hell do you think you are, Kamina-kun?!"

This boy had red hair, a deep red that looked like the colour of blood; and his eyes were grey-ish in colour, close to black really.

He briskly walked down the hallway, peering into rooms for a second before moving on. Finally, he decided to give up and was making his way back to his room. That's when he heard it: three voices conversing outside the door of his room down the hall.

"Hmm… looks like he isn't here."

"I'll go look for him… Are you two headed off?"

"We're going to get some food for tonight's feast."

"Alright, see you guys…"

The boy looked up ahead and saw Akane and Ryusuke walk further down the hallway, leaving another person standing on their own, muttering to themselves. "Now where did he go…?"

"Kaoru!" the red-haired boy called as he jogged over to his best friend.

"Ah, there you are," Kaoru smiled, "You were looking for me, right?"

"Yeah," the boy nodded, folding his arms, "for two whole days!"

Kaoru shot him a hesitant smile, "R-right… sorry 'bout that. But, Kamina-kun sent me on an important mission and…" he paused, "W-wait; I precisely remember telling Mii-chan to tell you."

"Well, I did bump into her in the hallway the other day after you left."

"And…?"

The boy sighed heavily, tired at just the thought of his, as she would put it best: _super-mega-ultra-hyped-up-bundle-of-total-and-supreme-mega-awesome-ness_. (AKA: Michiko)

"She burst like the little time bomb she is and blurted out: _'Oh, by the way, I totally forgot to tell you that Kao-nii left for some random mission-type-thing that Kamina-kun sent him on. That's all._ And then she ran off…"

Kaoru laughed at his friend's annoyed expression; it was an all too familiar expression to see, especially after spending the past two days with _another_ certain someone who had a habit of getting annoyed.

"So, where _did_ you go…?"

"Oh, Kamina-kun just sent me to get something done."

"Yeah," the boy rolled his eyes, "I grasped that much from the rabbit." He tilted his head, "What did you need to get done?"

"The… thing that Kamina-kun asked me to do, of course…"

"You're being vague…"

"I _am_ not!" Kaoru sighed; lying to his best friend got him absolutely nowhere.

"What's with you and _not_ giving a straight answer?"

Kaoru made a face, "What's with you and _wanting_ a straight answer?"

The two stared at each other for a moment, before bursting into a fit of laughter, as they always did. "And who said that our two animals can't get along?!" the two laughed in unison.

"Alright, alright…" Kaoru gave in, "The truth is…"

"Kaoru…!" someone called from down the hall, cutting him off for a change.

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Crap…" he muttered.

"Hey, Sarutoubi-kun, are you sure his room's down here?" a girl's voice asked.

"Completely… uhh, kinda sure!" the voice of Sarutoubi laughed.

"Look, he's right there…" the final voice, Torahku, told her.

Kaoru bit his lip as he heard Tohru's socked feet pad up towards him from behind. She patted him on the back proudly reciting, "Hey Kaoru, Torahku-kun and Sarutoubi-kun brought me to see Kana-chan, Hime-chan and Haru-chan. I guessed them all!"

"No you didn't, Torahku gave you a hint!" Sarutoubi proclaimed.

"I thought we agreed that we weren't going to say that!" Tohru sniped back. She shook her head, "Anyway Kaoru, Torahku-kun suggested we come and find you after we were done."

"Well… I'm here, aren't I?" He answered with a hesitant tone.

Tohru eyed his nervous look. "What's… up with you…?"

"N-nothing…" he shook his head, "Nothing at all Tohru-chan!"

Tohru's suspicions grew. "Tohru-chan, huh…? Now I know something's wrong…"

The red haired boy tilted his head and looked towards Tohru. "Hey Kaoru… was the mission that Kamina sent you on to get a girlfriend?"

"N-no, of course not…!" Kaoru protested.

"Man, why does everyone keep bringing stuff like that up?" Tohru sighed.

Sarutoubi rolled his eyes, muttering, "Cuz' it's so damn obvious Neko-chan!"

"S-Saru-nii, n-no…!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"What's the deal…?" Sarutoubi tilted his head, only to see the red haired boy. "Crap…!" Sarutoubi muttered.

The red haired boy's eyes widened. "N-Neko…?" He shot Kaoru a suspicious look, "You're mission… Kamina didn't tell you to actually…"

Kaoru gave him a pained look in response before averting his gaze.

Tohru didn't really understand. "Y-yeah… I'm the cat so Sarutoubi-kun calls me Neko-chan."

The red haired boy's fists balled at his side. "You…" he muttered angrily, "_You're_ the cat?!"

"W-wait…!" Kaoru broke in. "She's not what you think! Kamina hasn't explained it to you."

"Explained what to me?!" the boy yelled back. "All that I need to know about this cat is that she killed my mother!"

"W-what…?" Tohru's mouth was agape. "I've never killed anyone in my life!"

Obviously not hearing her, he rushed straight at her, grabbed her collar and pushed her against the wall. "You're the reason I don't have a mother!" he yelled angrily.

Any normal person would've been frightened to death, or completely confused, but for some reason, Tohru didn't have an ounce of fear towards the boy - whoever he was. She felt as if fighting this boy just came naturally to her.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Tohru gave him a condescending look and pushed him away.

"Dude…" Sarutoubi whispered aside to Kaoru, "Why didn't you tell me he was standing right there?"

"Akane-nii said that my _best friend_ was looking for me, what'd you expect?"

"Ahh," Torahku's eyes lit up, "Now I know why Mizunashi-chan is so familiar! She looks just like--"

Torahku was cut off by Tohru's continuous rant. "I didn't do anything to you, or whoever your mother is! I've never met you in my entire life! Just who the hell are you?!"

The boy glared hatefully at her, a look that was the furthest thing from compassion anyone would ever find. "I'm Katsuya Sohma, the rat of the Zodiac… and the one to take your life away, you stupid… vile… cat!"


	13. Ushi chan to Nezumi kun

Chapter 12: Ushi-chan to Nezumi-kun

Silence ensued as the group of teens stood deathly still. The three boys - Kaoru, Sarutoubi, and Torahku - at a loss as to what, exactly, should be said at a time like this. None of them would have expected that things would turn out this way. But, in any case, two of the three hadn't even expected that the cat would ever meet the rat… or that the rat even felt hatred that was strong enough to prompt him into saying that. _Two out of the three… Kaoru had known all along…_

Meanwhile, Tohru and Katsuya glared at each other, fire burning in both of their eyes as the two seethed in hatred for each other.

Tohru didn't have a legitimate reason to actually _hate_ him, but she couldn't shake this _disliking_ feeling that had suddenly, and rapidly, grown after he had accused her of 'killing his mother'. And, there was _also_ the fact that he was the rat; _that_ was legitimate enough a reason for Tohru.

Katsuya, on the other hand, had sworn to hate the cat since the day he had asked his father…

"_Dad…" a five year old Katsuya began, "How come I don't have a mom like everyone else in the Zodiac…?"_

_ Katsuya remembered his father shaking his head and sighing as he answered, "it's _because_ you're in the Zodiac…"_

"_Why is that…?"_

"_I can't tell you everything about it now, but I can say that the cat is part of the reason that your mother can't be here with us…" Katsuya remembered his father's expression growing darker as he said, "It's partly my fault as well…"_

Katsuya had taken this to mean that the cat had killed his mother and his father blamed himself for it. Katsuya took this misunderstanding and turned it into pure hatred towards the cat; as would be expected of the rat in any case.

It was Tohru who broke the deafening silence. "Kaoru…" she said in almost a whisper.

"Y-yeah…?" Kaoru answered, a little hesitant to at first.

"You mentioned before, right? The cat before me made a deal that if he beat the rat… he could be a full member of the Zodiac, right?"

Kaoru blinked, "W-what…? Well, yeah I said that but… T-Tohru, you're not actually thinking about…? I mean, I was only saying it on joking terms…"

As if only hearing the first part, Tohru nodded, "Kay' that's all I need to know…"

"Well Cat…?" Katsuya called, "Have you and my _ex_-best friend made a solid agreement."

"No, I--" Kaoru began.

"Hell to the yeah…!" Tohru nodded, "If I beat you, the cat will be in the Zodiac, and if you win…" she shrugged, "C'mon, I'm a fair player… what are your terms?"

Katsuya scoffed, "Just seeing your lifeless body paying for my mother's murder is retribution enough for me."

"Isn't there anything we can do to stop them?" Torahku muttered as Tohru and Katsuya continued their battle guidelines.

Sarutoubi gave him a confused look, "Since when do _you_ care…?"

"I don't want Katsuya-kun to hurt Mizunashi-chan's pretty face!"

Kaoru punched him in the arm. "Is that all you care about?"

"What?" Torahku tilted his head, "Everyone knows that the rat hates the cat - it's been like that since the beginning of time."

"What's up with you Kaoru?" Sarutoubi asked.

Kaoru shook his head, taking out his cell phone and beginning to dial a number. "This has to stop… They both don't understand it yet." he said flatly as he pressed the phone to his ear.

Meanwhile, Katsuya and Tohru couldn't wait any longer. "Your call…" Tohru cocked her head.

"On _your_ mark…"

"Bring it…"

The two rushed at each other. Torahku cringed waiting on the impact, Sarutoubi had his eyes glued to the match, and Kaoru turned his back to the fight as he hung up his cell phone.

Just as the two were about to have their fists collide with the other's face, a small voice was heard.

"K… Katsu-nii…!" a small girl's voice yelled.

Nearly two inches away from each other's face, Tohru and Katsuya's fists stopped instantly; both of them knew the voice.

"Katsu-nii, don't hurt Tohru nee-sama!"

"H-Haru-chan…?" both the cat and the rat muttered in unison.

Between the two, a young (maybe seven-year-old) girl ran in. Tohru had met her earlier when she was out guessing animals with Sarutoubi and Torahku; she was Haruhi Sohma - the cow.

Haruhi was named after the last cow: Hatsuharu, which was why Tohru had a hard time guessing her animal before Torahku helped her. She had long black hair that came down to her back with the tips dyed white.

"Katsu-nii, why are you being so mean to Tohru nee-sama?!" she questioned.

Katsuya's hardened expression slowly changed to a soft, apologetic smile as he lifted Haruhi off of the ground and onto his shoulders. "It's a big kid thing Haru…"

"But, don't you like Tohru nee-sama?"

Katsuya hesitated, biting his lip before clearly lying, "Y-yeah, we were just fooling around…"

The sounds of more footsteps padded towards the group. Two more young girls, the same age as Haruhi, that Tohru had also met, came running up to Katsuya. One had red hair just like Tohru's and the other had short, light blue hair. Tohru had guessed their animals too. The red haired girl was named Kana and she was the rooster; and the blue haired girl was named Himemiya, the sheep.

Kana panted, "H-Haru-chan… I told you to wait up for us!"

"Are y-you alright Haru-chan?" Himemiya asked quietly.

Haruhi gave them a wide smile from atop Katsuya's shoulders. "It's all good! Katsu-nii and Tohru nee-sama were just playing around."

Sarutoubi patted Kaoru's shoulder, "Genius move dude! You knew that Ushi-chan was the only one who could stop Nezumi-kun!"

Tohru was at a loss and, as usual, turned to Kaoru for an explanation. "So umm… what just happened? Did Sohma just get replaced with someone else?"

"Why are you calling him Sohma?" Torahku questioned.

"It's the lowest form of respect I can give him - no honorific!" she explained.

Kaoru and Sarutoubi shook their heads. "Cute Neko-chan, real cute…" Sarutoubi laughed.

Kaoru went on to explain, "The rat and the cow have always had a close relationship, since the last Zodiac. In the story, the rat rode atop the cow to get to the banquet first and the former cow…"

"Hatsuharu-san…" Tohru answered.

"Y-yeah, how'd you know…?"

"Torah-kun told her so that she could guess Ushi-chan's animal!" Sarutoubi tattled.

Kaoru smiled, "Well, anyway, Hatsuharu-san loved being around his older cousin Yuki, the rat."

"Hey cat…" Katsuya called, interrupting their conversation.

Tohru turned to face him instantly as he went on. "We'll continue this later…"

"Anytime Sohma!" she yelled back.

"And Kaoru…" Katsuya shot a hard look at Kaoru before shaking his head and turning away.

Kaoru sighed as Katsuya walked away with the three little girls. "C'mon you three, let's see if we can find Izuna-chan and Kyonosuke-kun."

"Kaoru… are you okay?" Tohru asked.

Kaoru gave another sigh before smiling up at her - his usual fake smile. "It's nothing… it'll make more sense after the banquet. After all, you're eating dinner with God tonight…"


	14. Conspire

Chapter 13: Conspiring

"Oh, right…" Tohru nodded, "I almost forgot all about that. God, huh…? Kaoru, didn't you say that he was two years younger than us?"

"Yep, and he's four years younger than Torah-kun and me!" Sarutoubi answered.

"His name's Kamina Sohma-kun… and he's the one with the God spirit." Kaoru explained.

"Man," Tohru sighed, "I was so caught up in guessing everyone's animals; I guess I forgot why I'm really here."

"Not exactly Mizunashi-chan," Torahku shrugged, "Kamina-kun asked Kaoru to bring you because everyone… save the rat, of course, was dying to meet you!"

"But Kitten was just trying to immerse herself into the family, right Kitten?"

"Yeah," Tohru nodded, "This is the first time I've ever really… y'know, _belonged_ somewhere. Everyone here is so welcoming and accepting--"

"Except for Nezumi-kun…"

"--I guess this is like a real family…" Tohru went on. "And to think that I really didn't want to come at all; what was I thinking? I didn't want to have anything to do with my dad's side of the family, but it's the greatest thing in the world now!"

"Neko-chan's dad…?" Sarutoubi tilted his head, "Isn't he-- mmmph!"

Kaoru quickly put a hand over Sarutoubi's mouth as Tohru turned to face them. "Sorry, what…?" Tohru asked. "Uhh, what the hell are you guys doing?"

"It's nothing Kitten!" Kaoru smiled hesitantly.

Torahku gave them a weird look before walking ahead, "Well c'mon you three, it's almost time to eat. And we can't have the cat late for the banquet that it's been waiting so long for."

"R-right…!" Sarutoubi nodded as he pushed away from Kaoru and walked up ahead to join Torahku.

Kaoru and Tohru filed in behind as the four made their way down the hall once again. But, Tohru couldn't help but feel a little confused; not just about meeting God in person - or rather, a boy two years younger with 'God's Spirit' - but also about Kaoru and his 'best friend'.

_How did the two get along…?_ She thought; not knowing that many others in the family thought the very same thing. Katsuya, the rat, and Kaoru's animal aren't supposed to get along - so why did they…?

Kaoru sent her an inquisitive look when he noticed the hard, thoughtful expression on her face. "Something the matter, Kitten…?"

"H-huh…?" Tohru blinked, "Ahh no, everything's fine."

"You gotta have your game face to meet Kamina-kun!" Sarutoubi joked, "Neko-chan's probably just getting herself psyched!"

"I'm sure Mizunashi-chan will do fine…" Torahku shrugged as the four entered the main hall once again.

"A-Akane-nii…?" Kaoru muttered, stopping in his tracks and causing the others to do the same.

Standing in the hall with a white box in her hands was none other than Akane. Her clothes had changed dramatically, as anyone would've noticed. From her casual clothes, she had changed into a black kimono with a slithery, green dragon design.

"Hey Akane-nii, umm… that kimono's not yours." Sarutoubi pointed out.

"No duh…" she cocked her head, "since _someone_ got mud all over mine…" she explained, glaring at Sarutoubi and his hesitant, apologetic, and slightly frightened expression, "I borrowed Ryusuke's small one." She gave a sly smile, "But it's alright, because now our guest won't have any hints to what my animal is."

"Oh, right…" Tohru nodded, "So, everyone's kimonos have their animal on it? Won't the game be a little too easy now?" In truth, she kind of wanted to get this game over with as well. The curiosity of the undiscovered animals, especially Kaoru's was killing her.

Kaoru scoffed, "Too bad Kitten… my kimono, not to mention Izuna-chan and Kyonosuke-kun's, were all caught up in that little mud-incident as well. Looks like this game will be on for a while longer."

"Izuna-chan…? Kyonosuke-kun…? Those are the only two I haven't gotten yet, besides you and Akane-san." Tohru eyebrow's furrowed, "It's almost like you guys did that on purpose."

"I said I was sorry okay!" Sarutoubi exclaimed. "I tried my best to get out the mud! It's my fault! I'm sorry!"

Kaoru and Torahku suddenly burst into a fit of laughter and Tohru swore she could even see a small laugh escape from Akane's lips, in the most refined and lady-like fashion as possible, of course.

"If Mizunashi-chan hadn't guessed Sarutoubi's animal before, this would've been a _giant_ hint." Torahku remarked in between laughs.

Akane shook his head, "Nah, not really… Tohru-san wouldn't know how the previous monkey would act."

"Do you always have to shoot me down like that?" Torahku shrugged.

"You're a tiger, I'm simply taming you…" she answered flatly, and then shook her head, "Anyway guys… the banquet's almost set so you should probably get to changing, don't you think…?"

"Ahh, right…!" Sarutoubi nodded, back to his old self again, as he ran off down another hallway.

"H-hey Sarutoubi, I have your kimono idiot!" Torahku called as he ran after him.

Kaoru put a hand on Tohru's head and smiled down at her, "I'll meet you at the banquet hall Kitten, see you later." And with that, he ran off, calling from the hall, "I leave you in Akane-nii's capable hands!"

"Well, that just leaves us, I guess…" Akane nodded as she handed Tohru the white box that she had been holding the whole time.

"W-what's this…?"

"Your kimono, of course, Ms. Cat…" She started heading for a hallway, "C'mon, I'll show you where you can get changed."

"D-do I really need to--"

"Yes." She answered quickly, "One can't be in the presence of the God spirit dressed in casual wear, right?"

"I-I guess…"

"Good," she nodded, motioning for Tohru to follow, "then I'll show you where to get ready…"


	15. Need to Belong

Chapter 14: Need to Belong

"H-hey… Akane-san, is it really okay for me to wear this…?" Tohru called from behind the closet door of Akane's room.

"It's fine, it's fine…" Akane sighed, "Just come out and let's see…"

The door opened slowly and Tohru stepped out wearing a long red kimono with a cat claw design.

Akane nodded, "See…? It looks fine. Come here, I'll fix your hair."

Tohru looked down distastefully at her kimono as she knelt in front of Akane. "I dunno… I'm not really used to these kinds of things but…" she paused as Akane slid decorative hair sticks into the bun that she had made. "But if this is what it takes to be accepted in the Sohma family, then I'm all for it!" Tohru told her.

"You… really want to fit in, don't you?"

Tohru smiled, "I haven't _fit in_ anywhere in my entire life. This is my first time and I want to make it the best!"

Just then, the sounds of a low bell tone echoed through the many hallways of the main Sohma estate.

"That's the banquet bell, we should get going." Akane nodded, standing from the floor and making her way out of the room.

"H-huh, yeah okay…" Tohru replied as she stood and inched her way to the door, trying to make sense of all of the complicated folds of the kimono.

"Don't worry…" Akane muttered, not turning to face Tohru. "You'll fit in just fine… with _this _kind of family…"

"Sorry, pardon?"

"Nothing… Follow me, Tohru-san."

Tohru quickened her pace to catch up with her cousin, who had made an amazing speed at getting through the hallways.

"Hey, Tohru-san…" Akane began as the two walked together.

"Hmm…?"

"What does it really mean…? To _belong_ somewhere…?"

Tohru thought for a moment, "Well, to me, belonging is wherever you feel comfortable; whether it's surrounded by people just like you, or the complete opposite of you. I guess it really depends on how you feel about the things around you. But, it also depends on how you feel about yourself as well."

"Quite the deep answer…"

"You could say I've had a little too much experience."

"But, how does one gain such experience…?"

Tohru gave her an inquisitive look as Akane continued, "What if, where someone is _needed_ is different from where they _belong_? What does your _experience_ have to say about that?"

"Nothing…" Tohru answered quietly.

Akane gave her a look that was almost disappointment; though it was too bad that Tohru, being so caught up in her answer, missed it.

"But…" Tohru went on, "My _heart_ would tell me that needs of others go before the needs of your self. And, if you _really_ are needed in some place, wouldn't you think that that's the place where you belong?"

Akane cupped her chin. "Quite the intriguing answer, Tohru-chan..."

"Ehh…?"

Akane smiled kindly, "Perhaps you are needed here, just as much as you think you belong."

Tohru hadn't noticed, but the two had reached a large door with two handles made of six circles each - the twelve zodiac animals.

"Shall we, Tohru-chan…?"

Tohru nodded confidently, "I'm ready… let's go, Akane-chan!"

Akane pushed open the big door, "Welcome to the banquet… Cat…"

As Tohru walked in, the first thing she noticed was the giant table that sat in the middle of the room with loads and loads of food on it.

"Psst… Tohru-chan," Akane whispered, "Close your mouth, it's not lady-like."

Tohru put a hand over her mouth, which muffled her apology into something like, "Srry Akne-chn…"

Akane rolled her eyes jokingly as Tohru put her hand down and smiled hesitantly.

Around the room, Tohru could see most of the people she had met earlier today. There was that horrible rat - Katsuya, sitting nearest to the head of the long rectangular table. Sitting on his lap was Haruhi, the cow, and around those two were Kana, the rooster, and Himemiya, the sheep. In one corner of the room, she could see Torahku, the tiger, playing on a DS and Sarutoubi, the monkey, trying his hardest to annoy him. On another side of the room, were the couple that Tohru saw that morning, but had never spoken to. She could only assume, from what she had heard, that they were Kyonosuke and Izuna - and she still hadn't guessed their animals yet.

Just then, she saw Ryusuke, the dragon, walk up to the two and lead them over to her and Akane.

"Welcome to the banquet, Tohru-san." Ryusuke nodded. "She looks like another member of the family now, good work Akane."

Akane flipped back her side bangs and scoffed, "Tohru-chan is, and always has been, a part of the family. But I thank you for your words of praise."

"Anyway," Ryusuke turned back towards Tohru, "I'd like for you to meet Izuna-chan and my younger brother, Kyonosuke."

Kyonosuke bowed and then offered his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Tohru-nii."

"Yeah, welcome to the banquet Tohru-nii!" Izuna smiled, her black eyes sparkling.

"Nice to meet you too…" Tohru nodded, "I guess I have to figure out your animals now, right?"

Before anyone could reply, a door slid open and the room whole room went silent. Ryusuke put a hand on Tohru's shoulder and whispered, "It'll have to wait for now…"

**A/N: Sorry I suck at updating. I feel like a failure…! I hope people are still reading this despite my stupid writer's block and lack of free time. I'm going somewhere with this story… promise! Thanks for the great reviews and an even bigger thanks to the people who are still reading! To be honest, (and please don't yell at me for this) I've had this chapter sitting around, taking up my memory on my (full enough as it is) computer. I saw it the other day and just mouthed "crap…" But, thankfully, it's posted now! I can't even begin to apologize for the lack of updates and no words can describe how grateful I am to the people following this story! I'll work on faster updates, just for you guys!**


	16. Sibling Pride vs Sibling Rivalry

Chapter 15: Sibling Pride vs. Sibling Rivalry

Tohru held her breath. It was as if time had slowed down to the point where the door was barely inching open.

"Ughh, c'mon Kamicchi, you're, like, so mega-slow!"

Tohru blinked in surprise as the door slid completely open by…

"M-Michiko-chan…?" Tohru said in disbelief.

Michiko was wearing a cream-coloured kimono with a brown rabbit footprint design. Her face brightened at the sign of everyone, but Tohru specifically.

She was tugging at the wrist of a person concealed by the side of the door; although, Tohru was quite certain who the wrist belonged to.

"See Kamicchi, everyone, even new-Tohru-chan is here!" Michiko went on.

"I know, I know…!" a male voice remarked back. "I was the one who invited her here."

"Well then, like, come on!" Michiko argued as the wrist she had a hold of pulled away from her grasp.

That tense atmosphere, which caused Tohru to hold her breath before, had returned; and, instead of slowing down, the world had stopped altogether.

Suddenly, a hand tapped her shoulder, causing Tohru to jump and nearly scream in surprise.

"That's a cute expression on you, kitten!"

"Gahh, Kaoru…! What the heck?"

Kaoru's kimono, as predicted, had no animal theme to it, seemingly throwing off Tohru's guessing ability.

Kaoru put one finger to his lips, shushing her, and used the other finger to point out the door where Michiko was still trying to yank the person next to her into the room. "Now, now Kitten, such loud outbursts would be in bad taste to, how did you put it: 'The one who created the entire frickin world'?"

"Shut up…" Tohru rolled her eyes.

"Good evening everyone…" the male voice called; causing Tohru to snap her gaze from Kaoru to "God" at a speed that threatened to skewer someone with projectile hair sticks.

Tohru blinked, shook her head, and looked again. She saw a young boy with short black hair and large, innocent dark-grey eyes. He was wearing a blank white kimono, devoid from any design whatsoever and he couldn't possibly be any older than Michiko.

_This was Kamina Sohma, the 'God spirit' she had waited so long to meet? This was the head of the Sohma clan and the one that had called _her_ here?_

"You seem to be in disbelief." Izuna approached Tohru and Kaoru, with Kyonosuke close behind. Ryusuke and Akane had already taken to their seats while Tohru was talking with Kaoru.

Tohru looked over to her and pulled a smile, "W-well…"

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking." Izuna nodded, "He looks so vulnerable, so helpless, nothing like the God spirit should look; just like a regular, snot-nosed, twelve-year-old; am I right?"

Tohru wasn't sure how to answer that.

"It's cool. That's how he thinks of himself anyway. Those are his words, not mine."

"R-really…"

"Yeah…" Izuna glanced at Kamina with a distant-looking expression that had the slightest sense of pride. "Despite what he says and how he acts… and what he looks like…" she smiled slightly, staring straight at Kamina who, at the moment, was conversing with Michiko - or trying to, at least. "…he's the perfect person to lead this clan. He's more capable than he thinks, and he is the practical embodiment of what being the God spirit should be… He just doesn't know it yet."

Tohru was taken aback by Izuna's, monologue-like, statement. "You, umm… seem to know Kamina-sama well, Izuna-san…"

Kaoru stepped in, "She should… since she's Kamina-kun's _older sister_."

"E-Ehh…? Seriously, you're Kamina-sama's older sister?"

Izuna gave Tohru an inquisitive look, "Why…? Is that strange?"

"W-well…" Tohru started, once again being cut off by, not Kaoru, but Kyonosuke.

"Cut her some slack Izuna, she's only been in the family for a matter of hours."

"R-right…" Izuna muttered, bowing her head at Tohru, "I apologise Tohru-nee-sama…"

Tohru's confusion level was increasing, again. And, almost as if he knew, Kaoru stepped in for _yet another_ explanation.

"See Kitten, the Sohma family isn't as different as the world _you're_ used to. Everyone is interrelated in some way. Yes, most of us are cousins, but there are also sisters and brothers, some with sibling rivalry; there are childhood friends, those with 'secret crushes' on other members, and some that have even sprouted as couples."

Tohru glared at Kaoru, "I think you've confused the world _I'm_ apparently used to with a Shoujo manga, Kaoru." _Then again, if you think about all that's happened, _Tohru thought to herself, _I'm pretty much _in_ a Shoujo manga right now._

Kaoru rolled his eyes and Izuna raised an eyebrow at the two. "Hmm, Kao-nii… it's almost as if you're foreshadowing something…"

Kaoru smirked, "Perhaps I am, Izuna-chan… Possibly, you're relationship with Kyonosuke-kun?"

"Ha-ha Kaoru nii-san," Kyonosuke laughed dryly. "That's hardly just a 'sprouted' relationship, right Izuna?"

Izuna beamed a radiant smile at Kyonosuke, "Sure, Kyon…" She turned to Kaoru and shrugged, "Although, I was referring to a certain 'secret crush' but, whatever…"

Kaoru's composure never faltered but Tohru could tell he was agitated by Izuna's statement. "I believe you were mislead, Izuna-chan. The only other thing I was foreshadowing was the sibling rivalry between Ryusuke-nii and…" Kaoru smirked, glancing at Kyonosuke.

"Serious…?" Tohru's mouth was agape, but she was quickly getting used to being either surprised of confused all the time. "Kyonosuke-san, _you're_ Ryusuke-san's little brother."

Kyonosuke's broad shoulders slouched, "Much to my displeasure…" he grimaced, "…yes, Suke-nii is my elder brother."

"Speaking of Ryusuke Onii-sama," Izuna cut in, "Looks like he's calling us Kyon…"

Kyonosuke sighed, "Fine, fine…" He shrugged, "I guess we can pick this up later."

"Oh-ho, trust me - you _do not_ want to hear him go on about his brother!" Izuna warned. "There's no end to it!"

"Hey! Izuna that was mean."

"_That_ was the truth Kyon." She had already taken to pushing him towards where Ryusuke and Akane were seated. "But we _will _talk a little more, later on." Izuna acknowledged Tohru, suddenly with an expression on her face that Tohru couldn't read; though the closest would be a mix of 'distrust' and 'belittlement'. "After all, you still need to guess our animals…"

Tohru was silent for a moment after the two had left. That is, until Kaoru popped up in front of her.

"Still having troubles working out the relationships with everyone, Kitten?"

"A little, I guess…"

"I know something that'll completely throw you off even more!"

"What makes you think I wanna hear it?"

"Fine, if you _must_ be like that." Kaoru shrugged, "I'll just say that you aren't the only one with ancestors that were in the previous zodiac."

"H-huh…? Wait, explain Kaoru!"

"Oh, my apologies Kitten… You said that you didn't want to hear it. You'll just have to figure it out on your own time."

"Damn it, I hate you…"

"You're my favourite cousin too, Kitten!"

"Umm… excuse me…" A voice called from behind Tohru.

She turned away from Kaoru and took a step back, mouth, once again, agape in shock. "Y-you're…!"

A young, twelve-year-old boy with short black hair and a pure white kimono smiled gently at Tohru. "W-welcome to the banquet… Ms. Cat…"

**A/N's: I'm not sure how to make those borderline things to separate stuff anymore, so my A/N's are bolded now. (If anyone knows, please help me.) I am officially back-on-track with this story. I had some rough patches, most of which included angry self-pity and self-punishment sessions, but I'm pretty sure I know where I want to go with this story. Some of the reviews really brought me back to writing this, so a HUGE thank you goes to EVERYONE who reviewed. You are all awesome and the reason I continue to (try) to right the best possible fanfic for you guys. I hope, though, that you all can forgive me for lack of updates. I'll try to get a steady pace going. Please keep reading and sending in those reviews!**

****UPDATE**  
8/16/2010 - In that last part, I meant to write "…ancestors that were in the previous zodiac" instead of "parents", because they'd be kinda old if their parents were in the previous zodiac.**


	17. Even More Foreshadowing

Chapter 16: Even More Foreshadowing

Tohru scrambled to bow before Kamina. "I-it's an honour to meet you… Kamina-sama…!"

He seemed shocked at Tohru's sudden greeting; holding his hands up hesitantly, "Ahh, n-no, Tohru Onee-sama, that really isn't necessary."

"Ahh Kamina-kun, good evening…!" Kaoru waved, sensing that the God spirit could need a little calming down.

Kamina smiled slightly and nodded his head, "O-oh, yes, good evening Kaoru Onii-san."

"You know that Izuna-chan told you to stop calling me that." Kaoru shrugged, "You'll have to face her and Kyonosuke-kun's fury if you get her angry."

Kamina sighed, "Yes, I know." He shook his head and turned his attention back at Tohru, who had been in silent ever since.

"Well, umm… Tohru Onee-san, I'm glad you could make it to the banquet. Luckily, instead of sending the rat to tell you, I sent the…"

"Oh Kamina-kun," Kaoru jumped in quickly, "Did I mention that our little kitten has started the guessing game that the previous Tohru had played."

"Oh, I see…" Kamina nodded at Kaoru, and then dipped his head gently, bowing to Tohru. "…my apologies then, Tohru Onee-san."

Tohru, still trying to overcome the initial shock of standing in front of the _closest_ thing to God, tried to regain herself and nodded in acknowledgement. "Oh, it's alright… _a lot_ of people here seem to like keeping their animal a secret."

"It's not that they want to keep it a secret," Kaoru explained, "It's exciting for them to meet someone who doesn't know of their animal."

Kamina had a sort of sparkle to his large, dark-grey eyes, almost like a young boy in a toy store. "If you don't… umm, mind me asking, who _haven't_ you guessed yet?"

Tohru pursed her lips, "Well, let's see… Akane-chan for sure, Kyonosuke-san and Izuna-san… Oh, and," she looked to Kaoru, "his as well…"

"Well, you're narrowing down the results, so things should get easier, shouldn't they, Kitten?"

"Oh yeah," Tohru nodded - she hadn't really thought of that but, with only so few animals in the zodiac left, she could just trial-and-error guess until she got it right.

"Which animals are left, Tohru Onee-san?"

"Hmm, umm…" she thought for a moment, "the pig, the snake, the dog and the horse… that should be it, right? Besides, I've already met everyone in the Zodiac, so this isn't going to be so hard, right?"

Kamina nodded, "I'm glad that you're enjoying yourself here."

Kaoru cupped his chin. "Although, y'know Kitten… there _are_ family members that you haven't met yet."

Tohru blinked, "B-but, didn't Kamina-sama invite me just so I could meet the Zodiac?"

"Don't you enjoy being in the Sohma clan?" Kamina pushed on, inquisitively.

"Yeah, Kitten… I thought you wanted to get to know _more_ about your other side of the family."

"Y-yeah, I do but…" Tohru thought it over. The past three days have been completely filled with strange happenings, secrets and other usual cheesy Shoujo manga plot-twists… but it was fun. It was probably the most fun she had ever had over the course of three days.

Her old life was, in retrospect, _old_. She was growing tired of rejecting boys, eating alone, and walking straight home; and, the one day she decided to stray from that path, everything changed for her. She met Kaoru and the rest of the Zodiac, guessing each animal and laughing and making friends, (and one enemy).

She thought it was amazing. And, maybe, she would've settled for an _average_ life, with a bunch of _average_ friends, doing _average_ stuff; but she got the chance to have so much more. Sure, she got tangled in an extremely cliché plot line like something out of Sailor Moon or… what was that one called again, _Vegetable Basket_? But, she'd seen enough in the past three days that would make her believe _anything_.

She recalled telling Akane, when the two were preparing for the banquet mere hours ago, that she felt a sense of belonging in the Sohma family; and saying that where someone feels comfortable is where they truly belong - but, thinking it over, did she really mean that? Did she really feel comfortable in the Sohma family?

"But, what…? Are you alright, Kitten?"

Tohru shook her head, "I-I'm fine… just hungry is all."

"Well, that's to be expected." Kamina answered, "I assume you haven't eaten much since you've arrived, so help yourself to the food on the table."

"I'll get you something, Kitten…" Kaoru offered, leaving her and Kamina and walking towards the other side of the room to get plates.

"Ahh, Kamina-sama… actually, I have a question." Tohru began.

"I'll, umm… try to answer it Tohru Onee-san…"

"Why do you call what happens to us a curse?"

Kamina's face showed a mixture of shock and curiosity. "W-what do you mean?"

"I mean, well… if everyone gathers here in this estate because we're all the same, all with the same condition under one roof; don't you think that's a beautiful thing? Like it's something more of a blessing than a curse?"

"I-I don't understand."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just a thought, really…" Tohru shrugged. "Maybe I'm just too new in this family to really get it."

"Hopefully that is true…" Kamina muttered quietly. He eyed Tohru's black-and-white beaded necklace. "By the way, have you ever taken off that necklace?"

"T-this…? No, I haven't, why?" Tohru tilted her head.

_ That explains it._ Kamina thought, giving Tohru a gentle smile. "It's nothing… I'm just happy that you're taking an interest to the Sohma family. If you have any questions, most of the family would answer them for you."

"What about you…?"

Kamina blinked, "What about me?"

"Aren't you the God spirit? Shouldn't _you_ have the most answers?"

"M-me…? I'm nowhere near being as knowledgeable as most of the older kids in the zodiac. I'm only twelve, and even Michiko-chan knows more about the family history than I do."

_Oh, _this_ is what Izuna-san was talking about._

"I dunno Kamina-sama," Tohru smiled at him, "I think you're a great leader of this clan."

"Impossible!" Kamina folded his arms, "The perfect leader of this clan would definitely not be me! I'm always relying on others to do things for me."

"But you invited me on your own accord, didn't you?"

Tohru was trying to help him, thinking that Izuna was right. Kamina was indeed capable of handling the whole clan and living up to his name, he just didn't realize it yet.

"Well, yes but…"

"And," Tohru went on, "You came all the way here to greet me on your own, right?"

"Actually…"

"My-mega-awesome-self was the one who told him to!"

Michiko burst in between the two, rudely and unannounced - as usual.

"Ahh, Michiko-chan," Tohru nodded, "That's a cute kimono."

"No way…! I like yours new-Tohru-chan! You look like a totally-epic female version of Kyo!"

"Umm… thank you?" Tohru smiled hesitantly. "So, you two are the same age, right?"

"You got it!" Michiko playfully, and quite forcefully, put an arm around Kamina's shoulder, causing him to stagger a bit. "Kamicchi and I have been friends since, like, always and forever!"

Tohru smiled, "That's a cute nickname. You guys must be close."

"N-no, we just play often and hang around together." Kamina explained.

"D-uh Kamicchi… that's what she meant!"

_Now's my chance, _Tohru thought. "Hey Michiko-chan, Kamina-sama's a great leader for the Sohma clan, isn't he?"

_Surely Michiko wouldn't say that about a friend, especially the God spirit no less._

"Are you, like, totally pulling my leg, new-Tohru-chan? Kamicchi wouldn't even leave his house until the great Michiko-sama brightened up his life!"

"And by 'brighten' you mean throwing your ball into my window and breaking my mother's vase?" Kamina remarked at Michiko.

"Pshh, it was, like, old and creaky anyway!" Michiko waved dismissively. "It was practically begging to be broken, and _you, _Mr. God spirit,were the one who, like, left your window wiiiide open, idiot!"

Kamina sighed, fixing up his kimono before bowing at Tohru, "I'll have Kaoru Onii-san lead you around after the banquet Tohru Onee-sama." He turned to Michiko's ever-smiling face, "And you…" He shook his head. "I'm too tired to deal with you…" And with that, Kamina walked off.

Michiko stuck her tongue out at his back. "Geez Kamicchi, you're such a cry-baby!" She rolled her eyes before looking over to Tohru. "I'll see you around new-Tohru-chan, it looks like the baby is about to start crying!" Following that, Michiko ran after Kamina.

"So, what'd I miss…?" Kaoru approached Tohru, holding a large plate of food and half-eating a tempura shrimp.

Tohru was staring intently at the area where both Michiko and Kamina had stormed off to. Without taking her eyes off of that area, she muttered, "Now I get what you mean by secret crushes in the family."

Kaoru suddenly started coughing after Tohru had said 'secret crushes'. He reached for a cup of water and drank hastily before turning to the stunned cat with a red face that, she assumed, was from the shock of choking.

"A-are you alright…?"

"Y-yeah… I'm fine. W-what were you saying earlier?"

"Oh, that I understand about the whole 'secret crushes in the family' thing…"

_That's what I thought you said._ Kaoru thought. "Y-you do, huh…?"

"Kamina-sama kinda likes Michiko-chan, doesn't he?"

The reddish colour drained from Kaoru's face as he stood upright and fixed the folds of his kimono. "Oh, that… yeah, Mii-chan really likes Kamina-kun too."

"And, even though they're cousins, it's okay?" Tohru reassured.

"For the millionth time, yes, those rules aren't as strict as the outside world."

"Which outside world are you talking about? The one I just came from or your fantasy Shoujo world - where people give vague answers and nothing ever makes sense?"

"Very funny, and I was referring to the normal world, of course. Any other questions…?"

"Yeah, why'd you act all surprised when I was talking about Michiko-chan and Kamina-sama?"

"O-oh, that choking thing wasn't because of that. It was… because of a totally unrelated in any way sorta thing…"

Tohru's stomach grumbled. "Okay, y'know what… I'm too hungry to point out that your lie." She reached for some food on his plate and Kaoru laughed.

"That's cute, Kitten, real cute…"

"Shut up Kaoru, I'm eating…"

**A/N's: Woo-hoo! Fast update FTW! This chapter was kinda longer than some others, but I had a lot to cover in the banquet. Just a heads-up, I'm going to start doing some Gaiden (or, back-story) chapters, just so you can get a feel for some of the characters and how they came to be, (aside from Tohru, since this pretty much **_**is**_** her back story). If a chapter is **_in italics_**, it's a Gaiden, although you'd probably get it once you start reading. So, yeah! I hope this is beginning to compensate for my lack of updates. Keep the awesome reviews and favourites coming! You guys rock!**


	18. The Three  Gaiden chapter 1

Chapter 17: Gaiden 1 - "The Three"

**Kana Sohma**

_Kana had understood from the moment they told her._

"_Kana, she's the rooster…"_

_ She knew. The rooster's position in the zodiac was to be with the God spirit at all times. So, on the day that three-year-old Kana Sohma went to meet Kamina, the God spirit, she didn't feel scared in the slightest._

_ She knocked on the heavy wooden door that her mother had led her too; and, to her surprise, it smoothly opened. But the one holding the door, however, was _not_ who she assumed was Kamina, but a girl._

_ The girl gave Kana a bright smile and welcomed her into the room. "Hey, you must be Kana-chan! We were waiting for you."_

"_Umm… are you Kamina… chan?"_

"_Me? Oh, no… I'm not Kamina; I'm Izuna - his older sister. Kamina-sama is waiting in the room."_

"_I-I told you not to call me that Izuna-nee-sama!" A boy's voice called out._

"_My apologies, Kami-chama, I'm just trying to give Kana-chan a good introduction of you."_

"_K-Kana-chan…?"_

_ Kana peered past Izuna and took a good look at the eight-year-old Kamina. Her heart sank. Kamina looked _nothing_ like what Kana had thought of him._

_Izuna gave her a little push, "There Kana-chan… that's Kamina-kun, the leader of the clan…"_

_ Kana stumbled a bit and stared intently at Kamina, who smiled at her. "N-Nice to meet you, Kana-chan. You're the rooster, right?"_

_Kana nodded slowly; every once of confidence she had once had, was gone in a flash._

_ Kamina bowed his head, "I'm sorry that you're stuck with a horrible excuse for the God spirit like me."_

"_That's it…!" Izuna exclaimed. "You'd better stop thinking low of yourself or I'll get Kyon and Ryusuke-sama to come in here and knock some sense into you!"_

_Both Kamina and Kana were shocked at Izuna's sudden outburst._

"_Listen up!" Izuna went on, "_You're_ the leader here, Kami-chama! It can't be me, or Akane Onee-sama or Ryusuke-sama! _You_ were chosen, and no one else!"_

"_Why can't it be you?" Kamina protested, "You're so much more capable of being the head of the family!"_

"_Just shut up…!" Izuna yelled at him. "It's possible, yeah, that _anyone_ could have been the head of the family, and that _anyone_ could lead the members of the zodiac. So, why did the world choose you?"_

"_I have no idea why the world chose me! All I know is that… I could never be as great a leader as you or Akane Onee-san!"_

_ Izuna smiled gently and put a hand on her distraught brother's shoulder. "And _that's_ why I'm here, little bro…" she said softly._

_ Kana, instead of being scared at the conversation which erupted right in front of her, was amazed. Kamina and Izuna were _nothing_ like she expected. They were so much more than that._

"_Alright, starting today this is leadership boot-camp!" Izuna announced as both Kamina and Kana nodded their heads._

_ Kamina smiled over at Kana. "Looks like nothing's gonna stop her. You don't have to stay if you don't want to, Kana-chan."_

"_Are you kidding?" Kana exclaimed, happily smiling at Kamina. "I'm the rooster! I'm not supposed to leave your side Kami-nii!"_

_ Kamina smiled and messed her red hair with his hand. "That settles it then doesn't it? We'll both become great leaders together!"_

_ Kana nodded her head. "Yeah…" and that was all it took. From then on, Kana was sure that being a leader was part of her destiny._

**Haruhi Sohma**

_She had been listening to it since the day she was born. _

"_Name her Haruhi; she's just like Hatsuharu…"_

"_You're right; she'll have to undergo the same training…"_

"_But we'll have to monitor her emotions, just in case."_

_ So, instead of playing happily and living a normal life like others in the family, Haruhi was forced to train at the Kazuma Dojo since the day she turned three-years-old. Karate, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Kendo, Aikido… everything was taught to her and she was forced to learn it._

"_Keep a firm stance… Don't turn away from your opponent… Shout with intensity…" Those were the only things anyone ever said to her._

_ In fact, the only other thing she heard while training was a large __**BOOM**__ that echoed through the dojo at the same time every afternoon. So, on the rare occasion that she had the day off from training, she went to the side area of the dojo around the time she usually hears the sound._

_ She saw a young boy with blood-red hair angrily punching against a wall. Haruhi hadn't ever seen someone so angry before; something snapped inside of her._

_ She began to feel the boy's anger within her, merging with the anger she already possessed after being forced onto all of these martial arts._

_ Without even thinking, she jumped to the boy's side and punched the wall with him until it cracked. This was the first, and only, time that Haruhi ever went "black"._

_The two stood there panting for a while, before the boy knelt down and looked at her._

"_We cracked it… nice job! You're really strong for a kid your age…"_

_ Haruhi had reverted to her normal self and, upon hearing this, began to cry. She hated this. Why did she have to learn martial arts? Why did she get so angry? Why did she have to fight?_

"_Oh hey, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you cry!" He put a hand on her shoulder and Haruhi looked up, "Let me guess, you're a zodiac member, the cow; am I right?"_

_Haruhi nodded slowly, her face wet with tears._

"_Well, you know what? I'm the rat. And the rat and cow always look out for each other!" He wiped her tears with his thumb._

"_H-Haruhi…" she muttered, "I'm Haruhi…"_

"_I'm Katsuya… And, I promise Haru-chan, I won't let you get angry if you don't let me get angry, deal?"_

_Haruhi nodded, "Deal, Katsu-nii!"_

**Himemiya**

"_Hime, I'm going to the store, do you need anything?"_

"_No, it's alright. Thank you Tarumi-nee-chan."_

_ Himemiya was born with a weak body and was always in danger of becoming ill. She spent most of her early days at home where her older sister, Tarumi (not in the zodiac), would take care of her._

"_Okay, see you then Hime!" Tarumi called._

_ Himemiya could hear her sister's footsteps out of the house stop suddenly and that could only mean one thing_

"_Ughh…!" she heard her sister grunt, "What are you doing here? I told you to get out yesterday!"_

"_C'mon, I heard you. If you're going to the store, you'll need someone to carry bags for you, am I right?" A male voice pleaded._

"_I'm perfectly capable of carrying bags by myself, so get lost!"_

"_Fine I won't come shopping with you. How's about I watch over your little sister for you?"_

"_Are you crazy? I'm not leaving you alone with Hime! That'd be hell."_

"_C'mon I'm sure she's not _that_ bad… O-Ow! Why'd you hit me?"_

"_She's not the one I was talking about, idiot!"_

"_Y'know, the whole playing-hard-to-get thing is getting kinda old."_

"_Ughh, don't even try to use your 'secret power' on me! Just get the hell out! Your stupid face might give Hime nightmares!"_

_And with that, Himemiya listened to her angry sister's footsteps stomp out of the estate._

"_Man… she totally likes me." She could hear the boy's voice again, and it was closer than before._

_ She got out of her bed slowly and walked to the front door, only to see the boy in question seated on her front porch and staring at the sky._

_The wooden floor underneath Himemiya creaked and caused the boy to turn in her direction._

"_Oh hey…" he smiled gently, something Himemiya hadn't ever seen him do. "Don't look at me, kay? According to your sister, I might give you nightmares…"_

_Himemiya giggled quietly._

"_Hey," he waved her over, "Why don't you come out and sit for a while?"_

_She shook her head._

"_Hmm…? How come…?"_

"_I… I'm not allowed to, I might get sick…"_

"_Might…? Have you ever tried?"_

_She shook her head again._

_ The boy stood and reached for her hand, gently guiding her out onto the front porch. "Well, how would you know if you've never tried?"_

_ Himemiya was surprised at the world around her and instantly fell in love with nature. She had been missing so much from inside her house._

"_There's a whole world that you haven't seen, y'know? It's one that your sister sees quite often…"_

"_T… Tarumi-nee-chan doesn't really like you…"_

_ The boy closed his eyes and sighed, "Ahh… yeah, I know. But, I really like her. Maybe, I just don't know how to say it properly, but I tried, just like you tried to come outside. And look where that got you." He looked over to Himemiya and smiled. "I'm Torahku, by the way…"_

"_Hi… Himemiya…"_

_ Torahku put a hand on her head. "Well then, Miya-chan, how about I bring you to the park sometime?"_

_Himemiya beamed and nodded. "Y-yes…! Thank you Tora-nii!"_

**The Three**

"_Hey Izuna-nee-sama, where are we going…?" Kana asked as she followed Izuna through one of the many hallways in the Sohma estate._

"_I have some people that I think you should meet." Izuna answered, weaving her way in and out of hallways._

"_But, what about Kami-nii…?"_

"_Kami-chama is a little sick today, so I thought I'd find you some other playmates…"_

_ Kana was brought to a room where a familiar boy and a not-so familiar girl were standing with two other girls that looked around Kana's age._

_ The boy was Kyonosuke, Izuna's best friend, whom Kana had met once before. And the other girl, unbeknownst to Kana, was Tarumi - Himemiya's older sister._

"_Hey… I'm Haruhi, the cow"_

_Kana nodded, "I'm Kana, the rooster."_

_ The older girl nudged what looked to be her younger sister, towards them. "Hime, introduce yourself…" she muttered._

"_I… I'm Himemiya… t-the sheep." She dipped her head slightly._

_ Haruhi and Kana smiled at each other and bowed accordingly. "It's an honour to meet you Hime-chan, the princess!" the two laughed, causing Himemiya to do the same._

_ Kyonosuke and Tarumi walked over to Izuna. "Looks like they're getting along nicely…" He smiled._

"_Oh, I know… let's all play tag!" Kana exclaimed as she grabbed hold of Himemiya's hand and pulled her to the outside garden, with the laughing Haruhi following close behind._

"_And it looks like Kana can finally be the leader she wants to be…" Izuna smiled proudly._

**A/N's: So, here's my first Gaiden chapter. I called Kana, Himemiya and Haruhi "the three" as a parody of how Ayame, Hatori, and Shigure were all the same age and "somewhat" friends. Oh yeah, and each of the three has a sort of "special bond" with one of the older members; Kana and Kamina, Haruhi and Katsuya, and Himemiya and Torahku. Anyway, next chapter is going to be a regular one, but I hope you enjoyed a slight change of pace - and also, the fact that I'm getting faster at updates! Raise your hand if your happy about that *hand raises* I know I am. The next Gaiden chapter will mostly be about Michiko and Kamina… but we might have some "guest appearances" in it as well. Look forward to it! (^_^)**


	19. 3 Conversations and a Lingering Question

Chapter 18: Three Conversations and a Lingering Question

A little more ways into the banquet, Tohru excused herself and stepped out into one of the many side-gardens in the Sohma estate, this one in particular, being the closest to the banquet hall and one that Torahku and Sarutoubi had pointed out to her earlier.

The estate was deathly silent, most likely because anyone who wasn't enjoying the banquet was working to make sure everyone else did.

She breathed in the crisp night air and let out a sigh. This was the only time she had had to herself since this morning, when she was thrust into this whole Sohma curse family-thing.

"Wow…" she muttered, sitting herself on the wooden flooring that protruded slightly from inside the house.

That morning seemed so far away, so other-worldly, looking back at it now. Loads of information on curses, family ties, animals, and relationships, which the people in this family had a lifetime to get used to, were all pushed onto her within a matter of twelve hours.

"Umm, Tohru nee-sama…?" A quiet voice muttered.

Tohru turned and smiled at Himemiya, who had approached her. "Oh, hey Hime-chan, did you need something?"

It was obvious that Himemiya wanted to say something, despite her silence, Tohru could tell instantly. "C'mon Hime-chan, we're cousins. You don't have to be afraid of me."

Himemiya looked to her feet and was silent for a little longer before suddenly starting up. "K-K… Katsuya-nii-san lied to Haru-chan earlier, didn't he?"

Tohru tilted her head.

"Y-you and him weren't playing some k-kind of game. You were fighting, weren't you?"

_ Oh, that…_ Tohru recalled, sighing and giving Himemiya a hesitant smile. "Yeah, I guess we were. How'd you know?"

"W-well… I…"

"Let me guess, you just knew, but you didn't want to get Kana-chan or Haru-chan upset about it."

Himemiya looked at Tohru with a shocked expression for a moment before nodding her head quickly.

Tohru beamed at her, "That's very noble of you…"

"I… I heard Katsuya nii-san accusing you and yelling at you from down the hall. I-I don't think Kana-chan heard but…" Himemiya shuffled her feet. "Y-you didn't really k-kill Katsuya nii-san's mom, did you?"

Tohru's expression hardened as she assured her, "I promise you, I did absolutely no such thing."

Himemiya smiled slightly, "Th-that's what I thought… B-but, weren't you scared when he was yelling at you like that?"

Tohru looked at Himemiya and immediately understood; she was probably asking because if _she_ was in that situation, she would probably be scared to death. Tohru thought her answer out before starting.

"Even if I was scared, and to be honest, I really can't remember if I actually was; but even _if_ I was, I wouldn't just stand there while someone I barely knew accused me of things that I wouldn't even think of, would you?"

Himemiya was taken aback by Tohru's extremely deep answer. Her gaze dropped to her feet, and then straight at Tohru's smiling face.

"Did that help, Hime-chan?"

Himemiya ran up and wrapped her arms around Tohru's neck in a hug. "Th-thank you, Tohru nee-sama…!"

Tohru was shocked for a moment before returning the hug. "Y-you're welcome, Hime-chan…"

Himemiya pulled away and gave Tohru a nod and smile before running off, presumably back to the banquet hall. Tohru smiled for a long while after Himemiya's departure; and then turned her attention back to the sky and her own thoughts.

"So…" Tohru began, speaking to no one in particular, not including the newly risen moon and glistening stars. "What did _I_ learn today…?"

She counted them off on her fingers.

"One: The Sohma family exists. Two: There are thirteen people that transform into animals from the Chinese Zodiac, including me. Three: I'm a cat… the apparent most 'unique' curse, according to Mr. Vague answers."

She laughed at herself; and the fact that it surprised her even more than the curse. She had become the closest of friends with Kaoru over the course of three days.

"Well," she shrugged, "At least, that's what _I_ think of him. But, Akane-chan said that _Sohma…_" she cringed at his name, "…is Kaoru's best friend. W-what am I to Kaoru, then?"

She rolled her head back, staring at the sky for a moment before closing her eyes. "God…" She paused for a second, "Or, is it Kamina-sama…? Ahh whatever," she sighed, "I hate that damn rat…"

"Oh…?" A man's voice inquired.

Tohru's eyes shot open and she turned to see the owner of the voice; a young man, who couldn't possibly be much older than Tohru's mom, with dark brown hair and deep light-violet eyes.

"That's something we haven't heard in the estate for awhile…" He smiled at her, "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Tohru shook her head, "Oh umm, no. Go right ahead…" she nodded.

The man complied and, when seated, looked up at the sky for a moment in silence. "So, you're the cat, aren't you?"

"Y-yeah…" Tohru answered hesitantly. This was the first time, she guessed, that she had met someone outside of the zodiac.

The man chuckled a bit, "I _would_ say that it's nice to meet you, but you've probably been listening to that all day, huh?"

Tohru shrugged, "Yeah, I guess I have…"

The two sat in silence for a bit, both staring up at the stars.

"S-so… you're part of the Sohma family too, aren't you?"

"You got it." The man nodded, "But, as you can probably tell, I'm not in the zodiac."

"Ahh, that's what I thought. So I'm guessing and, feel free to correct me but, you're one of the uncles in the family, right?"

"Mhmm, I've got a son and daughter in the Sohma family."

Tohru tilted her head, "Oh, have I met them?"

The man looked to the sky; the night shade masking his expression from Tohru. "I don't know…" he muttered quietly, "Maybe you have…"

Another moment of silence passed; though, surprisingly, it wasn't awkward silence but more like contended silence that both of them didn't seem to mind.

The man rested his head on his hand and turned to Tohru. "I'm Daisuke, by the way…"

Tohru dipped her head slightly, "T-Tohru… Tohru Sohma."

He smiled knowingly at her. "Yeah, I heard that was your name." He paused, "But, do you _really_ know who _the _Tohru Honda was? What she did?"

"She was…" Tohru racked her brain for things that her mom had mentioned or something that one of her cousins had said. "She was… the wife of the previous cat, Kyo Sohma, wasn't she?"

He nodded like a teacher quizzing his student. "Anything else…?"

"Not much…" Tohru admitted.

She looked over to Daisuke, who was staring at the ground with a really complicated expression that Tohru could only hope to read.

"She was _so_ much more than just Kyo's wife. She was the first person outside of the Sohma family to learn about the curse, the first person to be completely accepted into the Sohma family by nearly every member; and do you know why she was accepted?"

Tohru was silent.

Daisuke gave her a kind smile, acknowledging that, yes; it was a hard question to answer. "It's because she was kindest person anyone had ever met. The first person to realize this was the previous rat, Yuki Sohma. He, Tohru, and eventually Kyo and the previous rabbit and cow, all went to high school together; and Tohru even stayed with Kyo and Yuki, and the previous dog, in their house.

"As you've probably been told, Tohru started meeting everyone in the zodiac and trying to guess their animals, making friends with everyone as soon as she did."

Tohru bit her lip, "I… I feel kind of unworthy to have her name now…"

"And that's not even the reason why everyone in the Sohma family loves her." Daisuke went on.

"Ehh… there's more to it? It must have been something great!" Tohru remarked, eyes wide with interest.

Daisuke looked to the ground, once again, hiding his, increasingly mysterious, expression from Tohru's gaze. "Tohru… broke the Sohma family curse…"

"W-what…?" Tohru exclaimed. "S-she broke the curse? How'd she do that?"

Daisuke scoffed quietly at Tohru's outburst. "No one really has an answer to that. There are some theories, sure but… no one really knows how; so… good luck."

Tohru looked at him inquisitively, "G-good luck with what…?"

Daisuke turned to her and flashed a smile, "That's a cute necklace you've got there…"

Tohru, who was used to this from being with Kaoru all the time, wasn't confused at the sudden switch of topics at all. She peered down at her black and white beaded necklace, and then back at Daisuke.

"That originally belonged to Kyo… y'know?"

"S-seriously…?" Tohru, once again, exclaimed. She had always just taken it as some kind of parting gift from the dad she never wanted to meet; not even knowing that it meant so much more.

"Have you ever taken it off?" Daisuke inquired, standing suddenly.

"N-no… my mom told me not to." She looked up at the, now standing, Daisuke. "Y'know, Kamina-sama asked me the same thing."

"I see…" Daisuke muttered as he began to walk away. "Well, I'll be seeing you then… Tohru-chan…"

"A-Ahh, w-wait…!" Tohru called out. But, by then, the mysterious Daisuke had disappeared behind a corner and down the hallway.

Tohru stared off at the hallway across the room that Daisuke had left from with a confused expression. He had mysteriously, answered most of the questions she asked, but left her with a whole set of new ones.

Lost in thoughts of her necklace, the first Tohru, and the man named Daisuke, Tohru didn't even realize Kaoru approaching her and sitting down next to her.

Instead of scaring her, or 'popping up' in front of her, in usual Kaoru-fashion, he simply, and silently, walked over and sat alongside her; watching her expression carefully.

After a moment, Tohru sighed and turned to Kaoru. "H-hey, I didn't notice you there…"

Tohru was a little shocked. The look of teasing, superiority, and joking that was usually painted across Kaoru's face had turned into a soft, concerned, and surprisingly serious expression.

"Is something wrong, Tohru?"

_There sure is, if this is really the Kaoru Sohma I've known for three days._ Her mind remarked.

On any normal occasion, Tohru would have made her sarcastic remark verbal; but the look in Kaoru's eyes (and the fact that he called her "Tohru" instead of "Kitten") told her otherwise; whether consciously or not, Kaoru was being serious.

Tohru smiled brightly at him; unconsciously putting her hand on his, and not even noticing the blush that found its way to Kaoru's face.

"It's nothing… thank you, Kaoru…" she beamed.

Kaoru was silent for a moment; possibly wondering if this moment was actually happening. Tohru looked down, only to notice her hand on his; turning her face, a colour to match Kaoru's.

"E-Ehh…? When did I…?" she muttered, looking up quickly at Kaoru. "S-sorry Kaoru, I…" She paused.

Kaoru's face was so close that she could feel the heat it radiated; as he could probably say with hers. His reddish-brown eyes were as wide in shock as her light-violet ones were.

"T-Tohru…" he almost whispered.

Tohru's heart thumped and breathing suddenly became difficult. "Kaoru…?"

"I-I…" Kaoru began shakily, leaning in a little closer to her.

Tohru inched away slightly; this wasn't really happening, was it? The hand that wasn't holding Kaoru's had slid into her kimono sleeve, causing Tohru to slip and land on her back before Kaoru could do anything.

"Pfft… bwahahah…!" Kaoru suddenly burst into laughter. "I thought cats were always supposed to land on their feet!"

"Sh-shut up…!" Tohru exclaimed; pulling herself up with both hands, (and letting go of Kaoru's).

"Oh wait," Kaoru nodded, "Of course you wouldn't land on your feet. You're a kitten, not a cat."

"I-I told you to shut up!" Tohru yelled, instantly forgetting what had _almost _happened.

"Alright, alright… O-Ow, you don't have to hit me!" Kaoru went on, laughing. "C'mon, Kitten… Kamina-sama wants to see you in his room." Kaoru offered his hand to help her up.

Tohru scoffed. "I can get up by myself, thank you…"

Doing just that, Tohru stood and Kaoru led her to a hallway; the same one that Daisuke had walked through.

And, though it seemed that Tohru had long forgotten, a tiny blush was left of Kaoru's face; the aftermath of what 'almost happened'.

"_What am I, to you…? Tohru…?" _was the only thought that went through Kaoru's head as the two made their way to Kamina's room.

**A/N's: Well, a lot happened in this chapter too. I hope you enjoyed it, because things are only going to get more interesting from here. Next up is a Gaiden chapter, but that's equally something to look forward to!**


	20. Windows of Opportunity Gaiden chapter 2

Chapter 19: Gaiden 2 - "Windows of Opportunity"

**The Beginning**

"_Michiko, go play outside…"_

"_Fine, fine… I got it." the six year old sighed, walking out towards the garden. She looked around and nodded confidently. "Well, what to do, what to do?" She thought for a moment. "Oh, I know, I…" trailing off, she realized. "I… totally forgot my ball inside."_

_ As she made her way back down the hallway, towards her room, someone walking in the opposite direction called out to her._

"_Ahh, Mii-chan…"_

_Michiko turned and her eyes lit up. "Hey Kao-nii," she waved, "what's up?"_

"_I'm just on my way to the 'you-know-who's'." The eight year old Kaoru winked at her._

"_Totally awesome…!" Michiko smiled, "I'm not allowed to stay inside for now, but tell them I'll come in later."_

"_Will do…" Kaoru nodded, "Oh, and Tohru Oba-chan said she had a new story for you."_

_Michiko's eyes glistened, "Seriously…? Like, are you seriously, serious?"_

_ Kaoru laughed, "Yeah, something about a trip to a haunted house with Kyo Oji-san and Yuki Oji-san."_

"_Ehh…? It's another love-triangle story?" Michiko squealed, "I totally, like, loooooove those!" _

"_Yeah, and you know what that means."_

"_Like, of course I do!" Michiko giggled, "Kyo Oji-sama is soooo not going to like it!"_

"_I'm sure Yuki Oji-san wouldn't like it either, if he were still here, that is."_

"_Yeah, but… Yuki Oji-sama would _probably_ say he did like it, just so he wouldn't agree with Kyo Oji-sama, right?"_

"_Quite the childish bunch of elders, now aren't they?"_

"_But, it was, like, waayyyy more fun when Yuki Oji-sama and Machi Oba-chan were still with us. He and Kyo Oji-sama would always argue while Tohru Oba-sama tried to tell the story. And Machi Oba-chan would just laugh at the fact that she wasn't there."_

_Kaoru nodded, "At least we still have Tohru Oba-chan and Kyo Oji-san with us, right?"_

"_Totally…!" Michiko beamed. She paused and looked up at the clock on the wall. "Ahh, I can't stay inside very long, or I'll get caught! Tell Tohru Oba-sama that I'll come by later, kay?"_

"_Leave it to me Mii-chan," Kaoru waved as he continued on walking._

_ Michiko nodded and waved back for a moment. "Alright… Now, I'd better get my ball before I'm yelled at again."_

_ She dashed to her room, barely slipping by her dad, and retrieved the ball as if it were some long lost artefact and she, a famous archaeologist that, after years of searching, finally found it and would receive praise and…_

_ Michiko paused, anymore of this inner-monologue and she would be caught in no time. She suddenly heard a sound coming from the opposite side of the door to her room; her mom had come._

"_Not good…" she muttered as she glanced around the room nervously._

_ Then, she spotted it; her getaway, escape pod, one-way-ticket to freedom: the open window. Secretly thanking whoever decided to make their house one storey high, she leaped out of the window, curling herself into ball form and rolling on the ground to her safety._

_ She stood and dusted the dirt on her shorts with one hand, the other, clutching her so-called 'artefact'._

"_Totally, mega-awesome…" she beamed, throwing the ball in the air and catching it again as she walked around the garden. "Go me… Go me… Go me…" she cheered._

_ A strong gust of wind suddenly blew by, knocking her ball off course and sending it bouncing in another direction._

_Michiko ran after it. "H-hey… Wait, hold on!" She paused. _

_**CRASH**_

"_Aww man…"_

_ The ball had bounced into an open window and a rather uncomforting sound had resonated through the garden. Michiko ran straight up to the window and tiptoed to peer inside._

_ She saw what she expected: a broken vase. Hanging her head she sighed, "I'm, like, dead… soooo dead…" she muttered._

"_O-Ow… what the heck was that?"_

"_Ehh…?" Michiko looked back into the window and noticed a boy walking over to where her ball had landed._

"_W-where'd this come from?" the boy wondered, picking it up._

"_U-uhh… Like, excuse me!" Michiko called._

_The boy turned quickly, not knowing where the voice had come from. "Y-yes…?"_

"_I'm over here… by the window!" she went on, "T-that's my ball. I'm, like, soooo mega-sorry! The ball got away from me and…"_

"_Hold on one second…" the boy told her, closing the window._

_Michiko stepped back and made a face. "At least give me my ball back, geez…" she sighed._

_ Off to the side of the house, Michiko heard a door open and close, followed by slow footsteps coming towards her._

_ She turned and saw the boy from earlier, holding her ball and approaching her. When he was close enough, he handed her the ball._

"_I know you." He told her, "You always play outside here."_

"_Yeah, my house is just down there." Michiko pointed off. "But, I've never seen you around."_

_ She got a good look at the boy. He was taller than her and looked to be either her age or younger, if his large dark-grey eyes were any indication. He had short black hair and was wearing one of the kimonos that Michiko had only seen on some of the elders._

"_I usually stay inside." The boy shrugged, "That's why I've seen you here but… maybe I should close my window from now on."_

_ Michiko shook her head, "Nah that totally won't do, you'd miss all the fun. Why don't you just stay outside and play?" She bounce passed the ball to him, which he stumbled to catch._

_Michiko smiled hesitantly, "Oh, maybe that's why you stay inside all the time."_

"_Sports aren't exactly my thing…" the boy muttered, already on the ground after many attempts to catch the ball._

_Michiko ran over and offered her hand, "We'll work on that. I'm Michiko, by the way."_

_ The boy took her hand and stood, "I'm Kamina Sohma, nice to meet you." He thought for a moment, "Oh and about that vase…"_

_He looked at Michiko, who was looking off in another direction. Suddenly, she waved, yelling. "Hiiii Sarutoubi Nii-saaaan…!"_

_A boy off in the distance, around ten years old, waved back. "See you later Michiko-chan!"_

_Michiko smiled and turned back to Kamina. "We can say that _he_ did it."_

_Kamina laughed, "Good plan, good plan…"_

**Togetherness**

_ Kamina ran straight to his room, locked the door behind him and sat in the corner, crying into his knees._

_ Aside from the fact that this was the first day in the last two years that he hadn't went outside to play with Michiko, he had a much better reason to be crying._

_There was a soft knock on his door. "K-Kamina-kun… It's Izuna, open the door."_

_He gave no answer._

_He heard Izuna whisper, "Please Kyon, just do it this one time._

"_Fine, fine…" Kyonosuke agreed._

_ The door burst open and Kyonosuke stumbled into the room. Izuna ran passed him and straight to Kamina. She hugged him tightly and joined him in crying._

_ Kyonosuke approached the two, put a hand on each of their heads, and they complied by crying into his chest._

"_It's alright… It's alright…" he muttered._

_ After awhile, Izuna pulled away first and nodded, "Th-thanks Kyon… You're the best." She put a hand on Kamina's shoulder. "K-Kamina-kun… I have to tell you something."_

_Kamina turned to his sister._

_ She tried to smile, "Mom and dad _were_ going to tell you, but since they _c-can't_ anymore…" she gulped, "_I_ have to."_

_ Kyonosuke looked away as Izuna slowly told her younger brother about the zodiac, the animals, the curse, and exactly _who_ he was to the family._

_He shook his head. "N-no… Izuna-nee-sama, I can't do that!"_

"_You have to…! It's who you are… Kamina-sama…"_

"_D-don't call me that!" Kamina looked to the floor._

_Izuna smiled sympathetically, "Alright, how about Kami-chama?"_

_ He looked up, only to be embraced by his sister once again. "C'mon, go out and play with Michiko-chan. She'll get angry with you if you don't, right?"_

_ Kamina got up slowly and walked out of the room, trying his hardest to dry up his tears before Michiko saw him; since she would probably tease him for being a boy and crying._

"_Kyon…" Izuna muttered._

_Kyonosuke turned, only to see Izuna's face buried in his chest, giving it a thorough soaking. He put his arms around her, rubbing her head. "It's okay… It's okay… Your parents wouldn't want to see you crying…"_

_ Meanwhile, Kamina had done all he could to seem as if he didn't just spend an hour crying, and approached Michiko._

"_Oh, hey… there you are!" Michiko waved. "Where the heck were you Kamicchi?"_

_Kamina looked away, "I… I can't play with you anymore."_

"_W-what are you talking about?" Michiko tilted her head. "Oh, did they find out that _I_ was the one who broke the vase or…"_

"_N-no, that's not it." Kamina muttered. "I-it's because of the zodiac."_

_ Michiko's eyes widened; her mom had told her that no one should ever know about that, especially not a boy._

"_W-what about it…?"_

"_You're the rabbit, aren't you?"_

"_Yeah, so what…?"_

"_I'm the… umm," he shuffled his feet._

"_No way, are you in the zodiac too?" Michiko exclaimed, suddenly very excited. "Which animal are you, the dog? Nah, you don't act very dog-like. Oh-oh, how about the rooster? Hmm, I didn't learn too much about Kureno Oji-san from Tohru Oba-sama but…" She shook her head, "No, maybe not the rooster." She gasped, "M-maybe you're the cat!"_

"_The cat…?"_

"_No way Kamicchi, are you the cat? Are you wearing Kyo Oji-sama beads? Let me see, pleeeease let me see them!"_

"_H-how do _you_ know so much about the zodiac?"_

"_I love learning about the zodiac, especially after Kao-nii introduced me to Tohru Oba-sama and Kyo Oji-sama!"_

"_I know that… Kyo Oji-san is the previous cat but… who's Tohru Oba-chan, his wife?"_

_Michiko was taken aback. "Y-you… you don't know who Tohru Oba-sama is?"_

"_Should I…?"_

_Michiko hit Kamina over the head._

"_O-Ow Michiko-chan, that was mean!"_

"_H-how can you _not_ know Tohru Oba-sama? She's the woman who broke the Sohma curse!"_

"_She… she broke the curse?"_

"_Ughh, you're so dense Kamicchi! Maybe you're just being dumb! Maybe you're the cow!" She paused, "Oh, no wait, that would totally be insulting Hatsuharu Oji-san." She clasped her hands together and looked to the sky, "My apologies, Hatsuharu Oji-san!"_

"_M-Michiko-chan you don't understand… I'm god!"_

_Michiko crossed her arms, "_Someone_ thinks a little too highly of themselves."_

_Kamina sighed, "N-no Michiko-chan, I meant… I have the God spirit in the zodiac."_

"_Oh, well I guess that makes sense, since your name is _Kami_na…" Michiko nodded, "That means you're like…" She paused and suddenly stared at him with a slight look of hatred, an emotion he didn't think Michiko even possessed. "A… Akito Oji-san…" she muttered._

"_W-who…?"_

"_You're like Akito Oji-san, no way!" She gave him a suspicious look, "Please don't tell me you're actually a girl…"_

"_W-what…?" Kamina exclaimed._

"_Ahh wait… No, you're definitely a boy. Otherwise, my statement wouldn't have made you blush so much." She sighed, "Ahh, that's a relief."_

"_W-who's Akito?"_

_ Michiko rolled her eyes, "Y'know, for the God spirit, you _sure_ don't know a lot about the clan you're leading." She grabbed hold of his hand, "I'll just have to teach you! Oh, I'll even introduce you to Tohru Oba-sama and Kyo Oji-sama!"_

"_W-wait Michiko-chan, it's like you don't even mind that I'm the God spirit."_

_ Michiko stood, for once, completely silent and still. Her back faced Kamina as she muttered, "D-don't let that get to you… okay? Promise me you won't let being the God spirit get to you."_

"_O-of course I won't." Kamina protested, "I don't even want to be the God spirit!"_

_Michiko turned to him and gave him a bright smile. "Good, that's all I wanted to hear!"_

**A/N's: Well, there was our second Gaiden chapter! I hope people enjoy these. I might include some parts of their back-stories in the "present time" story too, just so Tohru can learn about them as well. Anyway, next chapter will be a normal one again. And, the next Gaiden chapter will be about Kyonosuke and Izuna, and mildly about Ryusuke too. I hope people are still following this, since I got more reviews when I **_**didn't**_** update as opposed to when I **_**did**_**. Please send in some reviews and continue enjoying my story! (^_^)**


	21. One Hell of a Bedtime Story

Chapter 20: One Hell of a Bedtime Story

"O-Oh Tohru Nee-san, Kao-nii…!"

Both Tohru and Kaoru turned to see Izuna running up to them, oddly enough, without Kyonosuke by her side.

"Good thing I found you guys… Kami-chama isn't feeling well and left to his room."

Kaoru checked the clock on the wall, "It _is_ getting a little late. They'll be ringing the night bell soon."

"Kami-chama said that he'd talk with you guys in the morning." She turned to Tohru, "I can show you to your room, Tohru Nee-san, also… there's something I should talk to you about."

"So be it…" Kaoru nodded before Tohru could say anything. "Tohru…" he called.

Tohru turned to face him and Kaoru put a hand on her head.

He smiled brightly, "Sleep well, little kitten!"

Tohru's gaze dropped to the floor, concealing her blush. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't forget what had happened mere minutes ago; her face and Kaoru's, only inches away from… She sighed. How was Kaoru so good at making it seem like it didn't happen at all?

Kaoru turned from his red kitten to Izuna and nodded, "Goodnight to you too, Izuna-chan." He turned on his heel and began walking off in the other direction. "I'll see you in the morning, Kitten!"

Tohru gulped and then called out: "K-Kaoru, wait…!"

Summoned, Kaoru turned and Tohru ran up to him, looking anywhere but his eyes. "U-umm…" she began, "About… everything that's happened today and… before, umm…" She sighed and looked up at him.

"Hmm…? What is it, Kitten?"

Neither Tohru, nor Kaoru or Izuna fully understood what happened next; but Izuna's guess was probably the closest. Instead of a verbal answer from his kitten, Kaoru suddenly felt something soft against his cheek, which, of course, could only be the lips of his kitten, Tohru. And, though it only lasted for a fraction of a second, it felt like an eternity for Kaoru.

"T-Tohru… chan…" he muttered as she took a step back and beamed at him.

"T-thanks Kaoru, for everything…" she bowed her head, "good night…"

"Tohru Nee-san," Izuna called, "I'll bring you to your room now! Good night Kao-nii!"

"Coming…" Tohru gave Kaoru a nod before walking off with Izuna.

But, Kaoru just stood there, dumbfounded and blushing. Lightly, he brought his fingers to the place Tohru's lips had come into contact, only half-believing that it really happened. He shook his head before walking off to his room. "Good night Tohru…" he muttered to himself, "I hope you're ready for tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Tohru and Izuna were walking off in the other direction and Izuna just _had_ to ask.

"Tohru Nee-san, I hope you don't mind me asking this but… You like Kao-nii, don't you?"

Tohru's face, for the millionth time today, changed to the colour of her hair. "E-Ehh…? N-no way, why would I?"

"You just kissed him." Izuna stated plainly.

"Y-yeah but… I mean, I kiss my mom on the cheek before I go to bed. T-there, that's it! Kaoru's like a mom-figure!" Tohru laughed hesitantly, trying to cover her nervousness.

Izuna sighed, "Fine, fine… say what you will for now."

"A-anyway…" Tohru started, desperate to change the subject. "Y-you said that you had something to talk about with me?"

"Right…" Izuna looked right at Tohru. "I'm going to be totally honest with you… When you first got here, I didn't really trust you all that much."

"W-why…?"

Izuna shrugged, "Uhh, you can call it a character flaw, but I'm not that quick to trust someone. I hope you don't hate me for it."

Tohru thought back to her own previous life. Her mom, most likely trying to keep her away from the curse, had made Tohru paranoid and untrusting to those around her. She could relate to Izuna, it _was_ hard to trust people sometimes, especially if those people act like Kaoru.

Tohru shook her head, "I totally understand."

"But, I heard what you were trying to get Michiko-chan to say, about Kami-chama." She bowed to Tohru, "Thank you for trying to build up his confidence!"

"A-ahh, it's nothing!" Tohru held up her hands hesitantly, "I-I just thought that you were right about how he doesn't believe in himself. But my plan backfired when Michiko didn't compliment Kamina-sama. S-so, there's nothing to thank me about, really."

"But you tried, and for that I'm grateful." Izuna nodded. "I also saw you build Hime-chan's confidence a bit."

"O-oh, you saw that?"

"Yeah, you're really working wonders with this family. You might just be able to heal it."

"The family…?"

"Mhmm!" she smiled. "Some of the members of the clan need to be healed, and you just might be able to do it!"

"Who…?"

She turned from Tohru's gaze, "You know them better than you think."

The two girls walked the rest of the way towards the room prepared for Tohru in complete silence.

"Well, here it is…" Izuna stepped aside from the door to show Tohru her room.

It was simplicity, itself, with a bed to one side, a dresser to the other, a small desk in the corner and a window.

"Wow… it's bigger than my room back home." Tohru remarked. "H-hey, how'd my stuff get here?"

She noticed her travel bag sitting nicely at the end of the bed.

"Akane Onee-sama probably brought it here after the banquet."

"I see…" Tohru nodded. "I didn't think she'd do that for me."

"Are you crazy?" Izuna's eyes brightened. "Of course Akane Onee-sama would do that. She _always_ looks out for everyone in the family! And…" Izuna proudly put a fist to her chest, "She's my sensei!"

"Your sensei, huh…?"

"Yeah, she taught me everything that I'm teaching Kami-chama now. Back when I was younger, I'd follow her everywhere."

Tohru tried to respond but, evidently, this family had a habit of cutting off her sentences. Kyonosuke suddenly burst into the room by the door and tumbled in.

"K-Kyon…!" Izuna exclaimed as she ran to his side.

"Y-you suddenly just left Izuna…" he muttered, "The girls were looking for you."

"I-idiot…! That gives you know reason to burst through Tohru nee-chan's room!"

Kyonosuke blinked, looked around, and then turned to bow to Tohru. "S-sorry Tohru Onee-san…"

Tohru, still in a state of shook, replied. "N-no… it's alright." She studied expression; Kyonosuke was panting and sweating, and his eyes showed concern and mild panic. Tohru smiled, "You were worried about Izuna-chan, weren't you?"

Kyonosuke's gaze dropped to the floor as Izuna rubbed his head. "Aww, it's okay Kyon, you don't need to worry about me!"

Tohru raised an eyebrow at the two, "Hmm, I think I know what Izuna-chan's animal is."

Izuna turned sharply towards her, "Y-you do…?"

Kyonosuke smirked, "Interesting. What do you think it is, Tohru Onee-san?"

"A dog," Tohru nodded. "Am I right? Izuna-chan is loyal, from what I've seen around you, Kyonosuke-kun. She's also honest, trustworthy, good at both leading _and_ following, and just _a little_ untrusting of others at first. But, when she starts to warm up to someone, she trusts them completely."

"That's amazing, Tohru Nee-chan!" Izuna praised, "That was a good guess!"

"Thanks." Tohru smiled.

Izuna shrugged, "It's too bad that you're incorrect…"

"E-Ehh…? I'm wrong?"

Izuna nodded, speaking as if she was scripted. "Sorry. I commend you for guessing, and your observation was admirable. But, I'm not the dog."

Kyonosuke nudged Izuna. "Oh Izuna, I forgot. Hime-chan was calling for you. That's why I came looking for you."

"Oh really, Hime-chan's calling…?" Izuna bowed to Tohru before stepping out of the room, "Please excuse me, I'll just be a second…"

"By the way, you were right…"

"Hmm…?" Tohru turned to Kyonosuke. "What was I right about?"

"Technically, Izuna _is_ the dog in the zodiac."

"So why did she-?"

"She just prefers to be called a wolf."

Tohru looked at him in disbelief. "A wolf…? Why would she prefer that?"

Kyonosuke scoffed, his gaze dropping back to the floor beneath the two. "She claims that she is ten-times as loyal and as strong as a common dog."

Tohru smiled, "That's… kind of cute."

"Yeah, I know…" he muttered, looking up from the floor but never directly at Tohru's face.

Tohru was silent for a moment, but then started up. "I think I know what animal _you are_ too, Kyonosuke-kun."

"Do you now…?"

Tohru nodded, "Well, for one thing, I only have three animals to guess from. In any case, forgive me for saying this but, you're a little headstrong and once you stick to something, you won't stop until it's done. You stand by what you believe in, and can't really accept when you're wrong. But, you're also sweet and caring, especially to Izuna-chan, and that habit of yours really gives it away."

"My habit…?"

"Always looking at the ground and never making direct eye contact, aside from Izuna-chan of course."

"And this all leads to, what conclusion?"

"You're the boar, aren't you?"

Kyonosuke smiled, "Well, like Izuna said, your deduction is amazing. Oh, and I'll tell her to accept that you were right, only if you start calling her a wolf instead of a dog."

"Deal…" Tohru nodded as Kyonosuke looked up and, for once, stared right into her eyes.

Tohru smiled, "You and Izuna-chan make a good couple."

Kyonosuke's expression suddenly clouded over as he muttered, "Yeah well… it wasn't always like that."

"Hmm…? Did you not get along when you were little?"

"Oh no, we were as close as siblings…" he rolled his eyes, "And that's exactly the problem…"

Izuna poked her head into the room, "And what are we talking about while I was out?"

Kyonosuke leaned back on his arm and looked towards his girlfriend. "Oh nothing, just the story of us…"

"Us, huh…?" Izuna smiled as she sat next to him. "Well, kick back Tohru Nee-chan. It's one hell of a bedtime story."

**A/N's: Well, it was a shorter chapter than the last few, this one ties in with the next chapter, which is a Gaiden for Izuna and Kyonosuke. Unlike the other two Gaiden chapters, Izuna and Kyonosuke are telling it as a story to Tohru. It'll be up soon! Thanks for continuing to read and review!**


	22. Misinformation Gaiden Chapter 3

Chapter 21: Gaiden 3 - "Misinformation"

**A/N's part 1: Alright, we're mixing it up a little in this chapter with Author notes at the beginning! This chapter has a few alerts:**

**1 Angry Yelling Alert  
2 Extremely Long Chapter Alert  
3 Fluff Alert: Izuna X Kyonosuke**

**In any case, I hope you enjoy and I'll meet with you guys again at the bottom of the chapter! **

"_Kyon…? Kyooooooon…!" Ten-year-old Izuna called, walking down the hallway to the room where they usually played._

_ She heard a familiar sound behind her and turned to see Kyonosuke speeding towards her at his usual speed._

"_Y-you were… calling for me, Izuna-chan…?" he panted once he had caught up to her._

_A confused expression played on Izuna's face, "W-why were you running?"_

_Kyonosuke cleared his throat and stood straight, "U-umm, no reason…"_

_Izuna smiled brightly and punched him in the arm, "You're so weird Kyon!"_

_ Kyonosuke blushed and his gaze dropped to the ground. It had been five years since he first met Izuna, and exactly four years and three-hundred-sixty-four days since he had fallen in love with her._

"_Anyway Kyon… there's something I wanted to talk to you about."_

_Kyonosuke's head snapped up, staring right at her. "Th-there is…?"_

_ Izuna looked away and Kyonosuke noticed… Izuna was blushing. Izuna never blushed, ever; and that could only mean one thing._

"_I-it's kinda awkward and sudden but, could you hear me out?" Izuna went on, fumbling with the bottom of her shirt with her fingers._

"_Yeah, yeah… Of course! Anything for you Izuna-chan…" Kyonosuke pushed on; his anxiousness growing as he hung on every word that came from her mouth. _Was this really happening: Izuna's long awaited confession to him?_ He always assumed that she just thought of him as her best friend, or as her brother; contrary to what he thought of her._

"_Well… don't freak out or anything…"_

"_Yeah…?"_

"_But, I should probably tell you…"_

"_Mhmm…?"_

"_I've always kinda had this huge crush on…"_

_Kyonosuke's world completely stopped when she said it._

"_Ryusuke Onii-sama…!" she blurted out._

_Kyonosuke's mouth dropped and the colour drained from his face._

_ Izuna sighed, "I'm glad I got that off my chest!" She checked her watch, "Oh, I have to go check on Kami-chama, he's sick today. See you later Kyon!" She waved as she went off in the other direction._

_ Kyonosuke staggered a bit, holding on the wall to stabilize him. His mind was racing with a million thoughts. Firstly, he hated his older brother Ryusuke enough as it is; but now he wasn't just 'the-first-person-to-be-born-in-the-zodiac', he was also 'the-only-thing-standing-between-him-and Izuna'._

_ Kyonosuke recalled reciting to Izuna at _extreme length_, how much he hated his brother. Ryusuke was always 'so mature' and 'so knowledgeable' and all of the elders praised him at being the first born zodiac member. So what was Kyonosuke? He was just the little brother of the dragon; the best friend of the older sister to the God spirit, and nothing more._

_ And, another thing about Ryusuke was that he was completely cold; thought Kyonosuke. He was almost like a robot, with a personality so cold it was to the point of absolute unfeeling. The only things he had ever heard his brother actually say to him were orders, instructions, or teasing questions that, Kyonosuke knew, he really couldn't care less about. Ryusuke always had a solemn look and _that_ never changed, not even around Akane - his best friend._

_ Kyonosuke walked around the estate with his mind swirling. How could Izuna like someone like Ryusuke? Well, Ryusuke _is_ best friends with Akane. And, Akane _is_ Izuna's so-called 'sensei'. Ryusuke also acts a lot like Akane, so Izuna could respect that and…_

"_Ughh…! Why am _I_ defending him?" Kyonosuke grunted, punching a wall._

"_Hey Kyon-kun, punching the wall in anger is _my_ thing. Go get your _own_ pastime!" A familiar voice called out._

"_Indeed, we wouldn't want twice as many cracked walls around here, would we?" another familiar voice joked._

"_H-hey Haru-chan was the one who cracked it!"_

"_Only because _you_ made her get mad."_

_ Kyonosuke looked over to the two boys that had approached him; two of his cousins, a year older then him, who Kyonosuke often went to advice (since his older brother was _never_ an option)._

"_Kaoru Nii-san…? Katsuya Nii-san…? What're you two doing here?"_

_ Katsuya smiled smugly and Kaoru laughed in the usual refined way. "Aren't we _always_ here to listen to your romantic troubles, Kyon-kun?" Katsuya waved a finger at him._

"_So, what happened _this_ time?" Kaoru asked._

_ The three boys walked out into one of the side-gardens as Kyonosuke relayed all that had happened._

"_Ehh…? Izuna-chan has a crush on Ryusuke-nii?" Katsuya exclaimed._

_ Kaoru punched him in the arm, "Oi, oi… why are you so loud?" He smiled at Kyonosuke, "I'm sure Kyon-kun wouldn't want all of his dramatic love-life issues heard by the whole clan."_

_ Katsuya rested his hands behind his head, "But yeah… I can kinda see how Izuna-chan could like Ryusuke-nii. He acts a whole lot like Akane-nee, so Izuna-chan probably respects how…"_

"_You know what's funny…?" Kyonosuke muttered, "…how this conversation _isn't_ making me feel better."_

"_Well, maybe you should just show Izuna-chan that you like her. You're the boar; after all, I'm sure if you put your head to it, you can do it." Kaoru offered._

"_Hmm… what do you think, Katsuya Nii-san?"_

_ Katsuya gave him a thumbs up, "Go for it…!" He thought for a moment, "Just make sure you don't end up like Kaoru."_

"_H-hey, what're you talking about?" Kaoru protested._

"_I'm talking about how you're not interested in girls… That is, unless they're old, dead, or 2D Shoujo characters."_

"_Well excuse me for liking history!" Kaoru crossed his arms. "A-and what do you mean by Shoujo characters? I don't own any manga."_

_Katsuya smiled, "Oh, so that stack of books in your room is _actually_ school books?"_

"_Yes…" Kaoru nodded._

_ Kyonosuke smiled at the two, as if they were his _real_ brothers, instead of his substitution. "Alright…" he nodded, eyes filled with determination as he walked off, "I'll give it a try!"_

"_Come back if you need to brush up on your Shoujo!" Katsuya called after him. "I'm sure Kaoru won't mind if you read some of his manga!"_

_ Kaoru held Katsuya in a playful headlock, "They're not manga, damn it! G-good luck Kyon-kun!" he called after him._

"_I-Izuna-chan…!" Kyonosuke called as he spotted her walking down the hall. "I have something to tell you!"_

_ Izuna turned, "Oh Kyon, perfect timing! Could you ask Katsuya Onii-san to bring Haruhi-chan over? I'm going to introduce her to Himemiya-chan and Kana-chan today." She shook her head, "Oh, sorry… were you going to say something?"_

_Kyonosuke's confidence bailed, "N-no… it's nothing."_

"_Alright then…" she nodded, "Oh, and one more thing, Kyon!"_

"_Yeah…?"_

"_C-can you say hi to Ryusuke nii-sama for me? Thanks!" And with nothing more than a slight wave, she walked away; leaving Kyonosuke to sigh in disappointment and set out to find Katsuya and Kaoru again._

_ Izuna had asked Kyonosuke to stand in when the three girls met each other, along with Tarumi - Himemiya's older sister. He then arrived home to find Ryusuke and Akane making dinner._

"_I'm home…" Kyonosuke called._

"_Kyon, take off your shoes!" Ryusuke ordered from inside the kitchen._

_ Akane stepped out into the hallway and motioned him to come into the dining room, "Welcome home, Kyonosuke-kun. Your parents are out today."_

"_Ahh…" He looked down at his empty plate. "U-umm, as much as I _love_ your cooking, Akane Onee-san, I…"_

"_Calm yourself down… I didn't cook anything." Akane rolled her eyes, perfectly aware of how incapable she is when it came to food._

"_It's not like Suke-nii cooking anything is better…" Kyonosuke muttered under his breath._

"_Kyon, sit up straight…" said Ryusuke as he stepped in with the food in his hands. "Oh Akane, could you get the rice."_

"_Sure…" she shrugged as she walked back into the kitchen._

_Ryusuke sat across from the glaring Kyonosuke. "So, how was your day, Kyon?"_

"_Like you really care…"_

"_You're right…" he nodded, "It isn't really that relevant…"_

_Kyonosuke scoffed, rolling his eyes; he _really_ hated his brother._

_ Akane came walking back in with the rice bowl and set it on the table, before seating herself._

"_So, how's Izu-chana?" Akane asked._

_ Kyonosuke looked up. Akane only used nicknames for two people in the entire clan; Izuna being one of them, and Kaoru, or as she calls him: "Kao-chan", being the other. _

"_She's fine…" Kyonosuke muttered. _

_ Though Akane acted much like his older brother, she always seemed softer to Kyonosuke, and the fact that she used those kinds of nicknames for _some_ people, at least showed him that she had a heart; much unlike his brother._

"_Ahh yes…" Ryusuke began, "I heard some interesting information concerning her this afternoon."_

_Kyonosuke coughed, "Y-you, what…?"_

_Ryusuke smirked at Kyonosuke's response, "Hmph, nothing…"_

_ Kyonosuke glared at Ryusuke as he stood from the table, holding his plate. "I'm finished… please excuse me." _

_ Kyonosuke walked up the stairs to his room and slammed the door behind him; but he could faintly hear Akane saying: "What was that Ryusuke?"_

_ Ryusuke had answered her, but Kyonosuke was too annoyed to listen in on what they were saying. Besides, he had gotten distracted by a tapping sound on his window._

_ He opened up the blinds to see Izuna sitting up on one of the branches of the tree that stood between their two balconies. They often had conversations like this, since their houses were so close._

_ Kyonosuke opened up the window and helped her onto his balcony. "It was quieter than usual tonight, Kyon. You and Ryusuke Nii-sama didn't fight this time?"_

"_Nah, this time we just didn't yell about it." Kyonosuke sighed, "God… I hate him."_

"_Hey, no using my little brother's name in vain!" she laughed, causing Kyonosuke to smile at her. He just couldn't see his beautiful wolf, Izuna with a dragon-robot like his older brother._

"_So, what was for dinner?" Izuna asked, snapping Kyonosuke back to reality._

"_Oh… uhh, Suke-nii cooked something…"_

"_Ehh, really…? I wanna try Ryusuke Nii-sama's cooking one day! Oh but, _you_ probably ate all of it, didn't you Mr. Pig?"_

"_Do I _look_ like a glutton to you? And besides, if you wanted it so badly, you could've had dinner at our house."_

"_Maybe next time…" She smiled, "I told you right? Kami-chama's sick today… I'm really worried. One time, Ryusuke Nii-sama told me that the previous God spirit had an extremely weak body." She paused for a moment, "Ahh… but the previous dragon, Hatori, took care of him. Do you think Ryusuke Nii-sama would do that too?"_

_ Kyonosuke sighed; how this conversation had gone from their usual meaningless drabble to anything and everything about Ryusuke was beyond Kyonosuke's understanding._

"_Suke-nii'd probably do it if _you_ asked him. But, he doesn't do anything I ask him to do."_

"_Like what…?"_

"_Huh…?"_

"_What kind of stuff do you ask him about Kyon?"_

"_W-well, y'know…" Kyonosuke thought for a moment; he had disliked his brother for so long that he had never asked anything from him. "S-some stuff…"_

"_Maybe you should ask again?" Izuna offered, turning around to start climbing the tree again. "I gotta go check on Kami-chama. See you tomorrow Kyon!"_

_Kyonosuke waved slightly, "Yeah… see ya…"_

_After she had left, he thought about it a little more. He had never really asked anything from Ryusuke, but what was he supposed to ask? Something like, why don't you have any emotions? Kyonosuke smirked, knowing Ryusuke, he'd probably give him some university-level lecture on what emotions are and how they manifest. Kyonosuke shook his head. No way in hell he was listening to that; it would get stuck in his head and he'd never forget how annoying it was to listen to Ryusuke's voice._

_ That's when it came to him; and, with that, he made his way back to the kitchen, where Ryusuke's back was facing him as he did the dishes._

"_Hey, Suke-nii…" Kyonosuke muttered, looking around, "Did Akane Onee-san leave already…?"_

"_Are you using your eyes?" Ryusuke replied, without turning to face his brother._

_Kyonosuke scowled; he _really, really_ hated his brother. "Can you do me a favour, Suke-nii?"_

_ Ryusuke shut off the water tap and turned to face him with an expectant eyebrow raised. "What, pray tell, would my younger brother want of me?"_

_ Kyonosuke hated everything about him, from his smug attitude, his air of superiority, and, especially, the fact that Izuna could fall for someone like him._

"_The… dragon of the zodiac is the one responsible for erasing memories, is he not?"_

_Ryusuke was intrigued to hear where this was going. "Yes and…?"_

"_C-could you…?" Kyonosuke sighed, "…erase part of my memory…?"_

_ Ryusuke tilted his head, "I'm afraid I don't follow you, brother. You would like me to erase which part of your memory?"_

_ Kyonosuke clenched his fist; would this really work? Would he be okay with it? What would Katsuya and Kaoru say about it? He looked straight at his older brother, eyes flaring with determination; there was no turning back now._

"_Can you make me forget that I love Izuna-chan…?"_

_ Ryusuke was silent for a moment but, because of his never-changing expression, Kyonosuke couldn't tell if he was thinking about it, surprised about it, or maybe even getting ready to follow through. _

_ In one swift motion Ryusuke turned his back on Kyonosuke and went back to washing dishes with nothing more than a quick, "No…"_

"_N-no…? Why not…?"_

"_Because, it is unnecessary…" he answered plainly. "Though I'm aware of Izuna's feelings, I can't reciprocate because…" he trailed off. "I just can't, simple as that."_

_ Rage clouded over Kyonosuke's thoughts as he yelled. "What's wrong with you? You know about Izuna-chan's feelings and yet, you're doing _nothing_ about it? I knew it; you're just an unfeeling robot in human skin! Are Izuna-chan's feelings that meaningless to you? If I were in your position, I'd be the happiest man in the world, and I'd make sure that she was the happiest woman every single day! I HATE YOU RYUSUKE!"_

_ Kyonosuke stormed out of the kitchen and was halfway up the stairs before he heard Ryusuke's voice call: "Kyonosuke…"_

"_What…?" he yelled._

_Ryusuke's calmness never left. "If that's how you really feel… why haven't you told Izuna…?"_

_ Kyonosuke stopped in his tracks, eyes wide with realization as Ryusuke continued. "If you really do hate me, as you say, why do _I_ know that you love Izuna, while _she_ is none the wiser?"_

_ Kyonosuke stood on the stairs for another moment before stomping up them and into his room._

_He hated it… _

_ He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. Ryusuke, as annoying, smug, and pompous as he was, was right and Kyonosuke hated it. The sole person that Kyonosuke hated with all of his being, knew of his feelings before the one he loved; how wrong was that?_

"_Tomorrow…" he told himself, "Tomorrow Izuna will know…"_

**Yatto (Finally)**

"Izu-chana…"

Izuna looked up, "O-oh Akane-sensei, what're you doing here?"

Izuna was currently taking out the garbage when Akane, who had just left Kyonosuke's house, came walking around.

"Just taking a stroll…" Akane shrugged.

"Weren't you having dinner with Kyon and Ryusuke Nii-sama?"

"So I was…" Akane nodded, raising an eyebrow at Izuna, "Although, it's the first I've heard of you adding nii-sama to Ryusuke's name."

"O-oh well…" Izuna looked away.

"Do you really love Ryusuke…?" Akane asked.

"E-Ehh…?" Izuna's face went red, "W-where is this coming from?"

"Just curious… Can't a sensei ask her student a question?"

"I-it's just that this kind of question is…"

"So, do you love Ryusuke?"

"I-I… well…"

"Would you like to know my opinion?"

"Of course Akane-sensei, your opinion means the world to me!"

"Well then… listen up…" Akane began.

_ The events of the night before played endlessly in Izuna's head as she sought out to look for Kyonosuke. Maybe Akane was right? In any case, there was really only one way to find out._

"_Kyon…! Kyon, where are you…?" Izuna called._

"_Izuna-chan…!"_

_ The two had walked in from opposite sides of the room, clearly looking for the other. Izuna smiled, "Hey, were you looking for me?"_

"_Y-yeah, I…" Kyonosuke froze up, he was so confident going into his confession, but his mind drew a sudden blank at the sight of Izuna's face._

"_A-actually, I was looking for you too, Kyon."_

"_You were…?"_

"_I-I… need to talk to you, again, about… Ryusuke Nii-sama…"_

_Kyonosuke clenched his teeth; he was sure that he wouldn't like this._

"_See… Akane-sensei came over yesterday, on her way back from your house and… she umm, asked me if I loved Ryusuke Nii-sama."_

"_Izuna-chan…!"_

_ Something inside Kyonosuke suddenly snapped; he didn't want to hear the rest of this story. He didn't want to know if it had _anything_ to do with Ryusuke. He suddenly rushed at her._

"_K-Kyon…?" Izuna said in fear as she took a step back._

_ Soon, she was caught with her back against the wall and Kyonosuke's two arms at either side, trapping her where she was._

"_Kyon," she called, putting a hand on his head. "A-are you alright? Do you feel well?"_

_ He looked up at her with teary eyes. "I-Izuna-chan… please, I don't want to hear it!" He hung his head._

"_K-Kyon…" Izuna muttered._

_No response; maybe a little louder this time?_

"_K-Kyon…!" she tried again._

_No dice, there was only one other thing she could try._

"_Kyonosuke…!" she exclaimed._

_ He looked up, straight into her golden eyes. She had never called him by his first name since they'd met and she'd declared that Kyonosuke was too long to remember._

_ The hand she had kept on his head slid down to his cheek and wiped a tear that threatened to fall._

"_H-hey…" she smiled bashfully, "I-I'm gonna try something okay? If you don't like it," she laughed quietly, "You can hit me, okay?"_

"_W-what…?"_

_ Izuna smiled at him once more before tip-toeing and pressing her lips to Kyonosuke's forehead. Kyonosuke's eyes widened in shock, even after she pulled away and gave him a hesitant smile._

"_W-was that okay…?"_

"_I-Izuna… you…"_

"_Kyon," she began, "I don't love Ryusuke Nii-sama…"_

"_What…?"_

"_Akane-sensei explained it to me last night and…" Izuna looked down, blushing like crazy. "I guess she was right."_

"Izu-chana, would you like to know my opinion?"

"Of course Akane-sensei, your opinion means the world to me!"

"Well then… listen up…" Akane began. "From what I think… You are in love with Kyonosuke-kun, not Ryusuke."

"W-what…? Are you serious?" Izuna shook her head, "Me and Kyon are _best_ friends! Th-there's no way I could love him anymore than a brother."

"Izuna…"

"Right…" she bowed her head, "I interrupted, sorry. Please err… continue, Akane-sensei."

Akane nodded. "This is just a speculation but… Maybe you didn't want the relationship with Kyonosuke you have currently to change in any way. So, when you started to have feelings for him, you denied yourself and transfixed them onto Ryusuke."

"_That's what Akane-sensei said last night." Izuna told him._

"_And…?"_

"_And she was right, Kyon." Izuna nodded, "I don't love Ryusuke Nii-sama Respect him? Maybe… but it's not love. I love you Kyonosuke… The only thing is…" She looked up at him, his face just as red as hers._

"_Y-yes…" Kyonosuke blurted out, "I-I love you Izuna…"_

**A/N's part 2: *sigh* That was a long chapter to write, but I tried to fit in all of the details of their back story into this chapter. And now, well, Tohru knows how it all went down, and so do you - the reader! Out of the couples I planned for this story, I think I like Kyonosuke and Izuna's Gaiden the best, and I hope you liked it too! Oh, also in this chapter we saw pre-Tohru Katsuya and Kaoru, and how they acted around each other when they were 'best friends'. Next Gaiden chapter is all about Katsuya's and Kaoru's first meet. See you in the next chapter - a usual, present-day chapter; as you've probably assumed!**


	23. Quick Question Even Quicker Dodge

Chapter 22: Quick Question, Even Quicker Dodge

"Tohru… sweetie, it's time to get up. You've been sleeping for some time now…"

"M-mom, is that you…?" Tohru opened her eyes slowly, only to see her mom sitting on her bed, smiling down at her.

"Yes." Her mom answered, "Come now Tohru, you have to get up, or you'll be late."

Tohru thought for a moment, sighed, and then smiled up at her mother. "You… You wouldn't believe the dream I just had…!"

"What kind of dream was it, Kitten…?"

Tohru shot up from her bed. "K-Kaoru…!"

He smiled, leaning against her dresser, "Oh, you were dreaming about me? How cute…"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

His smile turned into a sarcastic scowl, "Ouch, good morning to you too."

Tohru put a hand to her head and groaned from the pain of getting up too fast. It all came back to her now. No way in hell all of that was a dream. If her subconscious mind had come up with something as ridiculous as this, as she hoped it didn't, she would check into the nearest hospital immediately.

"Tohru, be nice." Her mom scolded; well… not really scolded, her mom never did that - it was more of a warning then anything else.

"Yes mom…" Tohru hung her head as her mom put a hand on it and smiled.

Kaoru had taken to smiling his usual smug smile again. "Ehh…? Tohru-chan's so cute when she's being obedient!"

"Dogs like Izuna-chan are obedient Kaoru… Cats are not." Tohru said matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Kaoru's eyes perked up, "You got Izuna-chan's animal wrong?"

"Wolf…" Tohru corrected herself, "I meant wolf." She thought for a moment, "Hey, I only have two more people to guess now - you and Akane-chan." Tohru beamed, "Man, this'll be easy! So Kaoru, are you the snake or the horse?"

"So sorry Kitten," Kaoru shrugged, "But, that's against the rules. No trial-and-error allowed!"

Tohru pouted, "Fine… fine, I'll be fair about it. Anyway…" she turned to her mom, "What're you doing here, mom?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing, if you were fitting in and making friends."

Tohru smiled sympathetically, "Mom, this isn't kindergarten. And besides, _almost…_" she shot a glare at Kaoru, "…everyone here is so nice."

Kaoru shot her his signature smug smile in return to her remark.

"Have you seen your father yet…?" Her mom asked the million-dollar-question.

"Ahh, I was thinking about that." Tohru nodded, "I assumed that I'd meet him, if he was really here, but I've barely met anyone from outside the zodiac."

"Well what about your bro-?"

"Ahh, Mizunashi-san, Tohru should really be getting to breakfast before she meets with Kamina-kun." Kaoru pushed in, deliberately cutting off Tohru's mother's statement, as he had done so many times with Tohru.

Tohru shot another glare at Kaoru; interrupting Tohru herself, was one thing, but no way did he just interrupt her mom. She wondered, for the briefest of moments, if Kaoru would make a good Tae Kwon Do sparring partner.

Shaking her head at even thinking about it, she turned to her mom. "What were you about to say?"

"S-seriously…" Kaoru tried to push in, "About that breakfast-"

"I asked if you had met your-"

"…it'll get cold and…"

"…your brother…" Tohru's mom finally finished as Kaoru's smug smile transitioned to a pained expression and he face-palmed; this wasn't going to end well.

"M-my brother…?" Tohru echoed, "I… I have a brother?"

Tohru's mom looked at her inquisitively. "O-of course you do… part of this trip was to meet your brother, he's in the zodiac too."

Tohru went through all of the boys in the zodiac she had met. Was it Sarutoubi, Torahku? It couldn't be Kyonosuke or Ryusuke because her mom would've mentioned two brothers instead of one. That also ruled out Kamina because Tohru was _sure_ she didn't have a sister.

Tohru looked over to Kaoru, who had his phone pressed to his ear, and her face turned a slight shade of red. _Please don't let Kaoru be my brother._ If he was, Tohru thought, it'd be horribly awkward, taking all things into consideration.

She was just about to ask her confused-looking mom who it was, but she was suddenly assaulted by three seven-year-old girls that had burst into her room, screaming, "Tohru-nee-sama…!" in unison.

"K-Kana-chan, Hime-chan, Haru-chan… W-what are you guys do-?"

"We just wanted to see Tohru-nee-sama!" Kana smiled, looking up at her.

"Good morning Tohru-nee-sama!" Himemiya nodded.

"Yeah, mornin' Tohru-nee-sama…!" Haruhi laughed.

Just then, Izuna appeared at the door and walked right up to Kaoru. "Geez Kao-nii, quit calling my cell whenever you want…" she trailed off, turning to the three that were toppled over the struggling Tohru. She smiled tiredly, "Hey you three, Tohru nee-chan just woke up. Calm down and greet her properly."

Kana took a step back, Haruhi and Himemiya following, and the three bowed to Tohru, once again saying in unison, "Good morning Tohru-nee-sama…!"

Izuna crossed her arms and laughed, "That's better…" She smiled at Tohru, "Good morning, Tohru Nee-chan. I applaud you on guessing my animal correctly!"

Tohru smiled knowingly, "Thanks…"

Kaoru jumped in on the open opportunity by saying, "Oh, Mizunashi-san… Actually, someone was looking for you and asked me to get you. Do you mind following me?"

Tohru's mom stood and smoothed out her skirt before giving Tohru a shiningly proud smile. "I'm glad you like it here, Tohru…" And with that, she followed Kaoru out of the room.

"Tohru Nee-chan, I'll show you where you can get washed up." Izuna motioned for her to follow and Tohru complied.

"You three, go off and annoy Kyon for awhile, okay?" Izuna laughed as Kana nodded, leading the three in the other direction.

"You were right, Izuna-chan." Tohru told her as the walked, "That was one hell of a bedtime story."

"I can't tell a lie, Tohru Nee-chan, especially about that."

"So I see…" she nodded. "You've had quite a bit of drama in your early life."

Izuna laughed, "Well, if you're just counting _that_, then I guess I have but…" She looked out into the side-garden that they were passing, "I actually, really, really like how peaceful my life is now."

"Even though you turn into a _wolf_ sometimes…?" Tohru asked.

"Even still…" Izuna answered, "Although, I don't let many boys hug me aside from Kyon and those in the zodiac. The only time when I have trouble with transforming is when I'm feeling weak. But, something as miniscule as that doesn't dampen on how much I love my life right now."

Tohru smiled welcomingly, as if giving Izuna permission to go on with her monologue. Izuna smiled back, understanding Tohru's gesture.

"Unlike some people in this family, my brother especially, I don't have any hatred for the curse."

_ There it was again_, Tohru thought to herself. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that people found hatred towards the curse. What was so wrong about it?

"I love how life is here, how everyday is the same, yet completely different, and how everyday - everyone makes it the best day ever in their own way.

"I love how Akane Onee-sama and Ryusuke Nii-sama are like the unofficial parents of the zodiac members, while Torahku-nii and Sarutoubi-nii are like the troublesome teenagers. Kao-nii and Katsuya-nii are the brothers that, no matter how much they fight, they'll always stay close. Michiko-chan is just everyone's little piece of sunshine and she uses her brightness to liven up the dark moon that is Kami-chama. And the three girls and Kyon… they just complete it all. Oh, and now _you_ Tohru nee-chan, you're like the sister that everyone comes to for healing when they're feeling down or upset

"So curse or no curse… I don't really care," Izuna shrugged, "So long as my peaceful life in the Sohma clan continues, who cares about a stupid curse?"

Tohru didn't know what to say, although all that Izuna said had made sense. As Tohru could assume, it was probably most of the same around here; but, at the same time, there was absolutely _no way_ living life in the 'should-be-long-gone' Sohma clan could ever be boring.

Izuna laughed quietly, putting a hand to her mouth in a way Akane would. "Man, Kami-chama would get so mad if he heard me talking like this."

"K-Kamina-sama doesn't think of the curse like you do?

"Barely _anyone_ thinks of the curse like I do." Izuna told her, holding up two fingers in front of Tohru. "Only _two_ people in the zodiac _love_ the curse."

She shot up another finger. "At least _three_ people in the family, including me, are neutral about the curse."

Izuna put her hand down and shrugged, "And everyone else…? Well, they probably all hate the curse for one reason or another… Oh, but the three girls aren't counted in this, since they're too young to really form an opinion about the curse."

Tohru nodded, "Of course…"

"So what about you…?" Izuna asked.

"W-what _about_ me…?"

Izuna tilted her head, "Where do _you_ stand, in terms of the curse?"

"W-well…"

Tohru had no idea how to answer that question. She had thought, initially, that the curse was kind of cool, in a Shoujo-manga-like way; and listening to what Izuna had to say just added to that side of the argument. But, as she thought it over again, especially after talking with Kamina, she noticed: she was completely new to this family. What right did she have to form an opinion on something she had only known about for a day? Maybe there was something about the curse that Kaoru hadn't told her, which is why most of the family hated it.

"Ahh, you don't have to answer that, if you can't." Izuna nodded, pointing towards a door. "There's the shower and… there should be a change of clothes for you in there."

"O-oh thanks…"

Izuna shook her head, "It wasn't me… Kao-nii and Akane Onee-sama, plus those three girls put it all together, even you breakfast was prepared by them." Izuna gave her a bright smile, the kind that Tohru had only seen her give to Kyonosuke. "Looks like you're really a part of this family now!"

"Yeah…" Tohru nodded as she walked into the shower.

**A/N's: I gave it some thought and I know the next Gaiden chapter was supposed to be about Katsuya and Kaoru, but I think I should save that for after Tohru discovers what his animal is. Plus, I kinda wanted to cover something that we really haven't seen much of, namely Sarutoubi and Torahku's relation to each other. Well, leaving that, I think it's safe to say that Izuna is my favourite character throughout this story. She's really a family-girl, she has ambitions, a cool boyfriend, she looks up to people **_**and**_** she's looked up to, she's very mature, loyal… hmm… I want a dog, oh, excuse me, I mean **_**wolf**_**, like Izuna. Wouldn't you? My favourite guy character would probably be Kaoru, Sarutoubi, or Ryusuke because I used a bunch of my friend's personalities to build their characters. But, I'm kinda leaning towards Sarutoubi over the other two (you'll understand why in the next Gaiden chapter), and if I had to choose a second, though Ryusuke is mega-epic, Kaoru would be my second choice! Great, now I'm curious to know everyone's favourite characters so far. Let's see who the most popular character is! Post your favourite character, both boy and girl, in a review and send them in! ^_^ (I'm kinda hyper today… Sorry I talked for so long.)**


	24. Virtual World Reality Friendship Gaiden4

Chapter 23: Gaiden 4 "Virtual World, Reality Friendship"

**This chapter contains slight spoilers for Phoenix Wright T&T - final case.**

"_A-And after that, she told me to get lost! She totally wants me, right?" Torahku nudged Akane._

_ The annoyed eleven-year-old girl sighed, trying her best to keep focus on her book while Torahku annoyed her and Ryusuke did nothing about it. She understood that Torahku wanted to be one of the older kids, but Akane could only wonder why he would choose to hang around her and not Ryusuke - who was so much better at making him shut up._

_ She gave out another sigh before silently shutting her book closed and turning to him. "Here's an idea…" Akane tried her best to sound… less annoyed than she was. She motioned over to a boy sitting on the opposite side of the garden with a DS lite pressed up against his face. "That kid is your age… Go annoy him instead."_

"_B-but…" Torahku began, only to be cut off by Akane's pointing finger and a glare that could kill._

"_Fine…" he nodded, walking across the field and towards the boy sitting against the wall._

"_Hey…" Torahku waved slightly when he was in earshot of the video-game addict._

_ From underneath a blue baseball cap, two amber eyes glanced up at Torahku for a split second, and then returned to the small screen._

_ Torahku sat himself down beside the boy and peered over his shoulder. "So uhh… What'cha playing…?"_

"_Gyakuten Kenji, final case…" the boy recited._

_ Torahku, who was well-versed (though not skilled) at video games, looked at the boy with mild shock. "Gyakuten Kenji…? But that only came out last month. Y-you're already on the last case…?"_

"_So what if I am…?" The boy continued to pound buttons on the DS while quiet sounds of "Igiari!" and "Kore Da!" could be heard from it._

"_You must be pro!" Torahku told him._

"_Not really…" the boy muttered, "…this is only my third time beating this game."_

_ The boy didn't even have to look at Torahku to know that his eyes were threatening to fall out of their sockets and his jaw was dislocated to the point of dropping on the floor. He smirked inwardly; people like him were much too easy to read._

"_I'm Torahku. What's your name?"_

"_Souryuu Kaminogi." The boy answered quickly, already anticipating that this question would be asked. "I'm here to drop off something for a friend but he told me to wait out here." _

"_Oh, so you know someone from inside? Who…?"_

_ Souryuu paused for a moment; the only sound audible, being Reiji Mitsuruugi's _IGIARI_. "Sohma Sarutoubi." He answered._

"_Oh, that's my cousin." Torahku nodded, "He's laid-back and kind of scatterbrained and forgetful…"_

"_Yeah, I already know him…" Souryuu got up suddenly, shutting his DS off and adjusting his baseball cap. "Well, I'm finished the case and it looks like Sarutoubi-san isn't anywhere to be seen so… I'll be taking my leave." He waved slightly as he walked off and turned the corner, out of Torahku's vision._

_ As he turned the corner, however, instead of walking out of the estate, he made another turn into the house itself. Silently laughing to himself, he removed his baseball cap and messed up his spiky light-brown hair. He wrinkled his clothes a little and stuck his DS into his pocket before walking down the hallway._

"_Oh, Sarutoubi Onii-san, good afternoon…"_

_He smiled brightly and waved childishly, "Yo… same to you Izuna-chi!"_

_ As the girl walked passed, he glanced at her before walking on with a smug smirk plastered onto his face. _People in this family are just too easy,_ he laughed to himself._

_ This boy was Sarutoubi Sohma, the monkey of the zodiac. He was a prodigy and genius, always comparing life to the many video games that he speeds through every day; but no one knew that. To the rest of the family, Sarutoubi was just as Torahku had said: a scatterbrained and forgetful, laid-back and chill kind of person; just like he had planned. He was nowhere near being scatterbrained or forgetful. Laid-back, maybe, but it was only because he could think three steps ahead of any situation._

_ Today was a close call, he thought, not close enough to actually set him off in panic, but close nonetheless. He had met Torahku once before and, as idiotically simple-minded as he seemed, it wouldn't take much for him to simply recall his face and name him off as Sarutoubi, thus, ruining his façade._

_ There was always the option of just telling people that he was a genius, which would clearly save him a lot of stress and trouble but… where's the challenge in that? That would be the ultimate handicap for his 'video-game-based' life, and that was definitely no fun._

_ He chuckled to himself again and ran a hand through his messy brown hair, recalling what had happened earlier this afternoon. He had been taking his usual walk around the garden when Michiko, the rabbit in the zodiac, called out to him. He waved back in, what she thought was, typical Sarutoubi-esque behaviour, but little did he know that he was minutes away from falling into that girl's small trap._

"Sarutoubi-san, you broke the vase in Kamina-sama's room, didn't you?"

"H-huh…? Me? I wasn't even walking near there."

"Michiko-san said she saw you there."

He smirked inwardly, that rabbit was smarter than he thought. "Okay, okay… I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I was practicing my Parkour by climbing up on the tree near Kami-kun's window and… and when I jumped down, I must have shaken the vase a little."

The elder that had blamed him sighed as well. If Sarutoubi's plan had worked, as they usually do, the elder was probably thinking something along the lines of 'he must have inherited this apologetic behaviour from the previous monkey'.

_ Sarutoubi smiled widely; sometimes it was good to be the monkey in the zodiac. He was just a little surprised at how the rabbit could've gotten him into that. Although, knowing her, she was probably covering for someone and Sarutoubi didn't mind. Because, no matter how smart he was, he wasn't evil. He wasn't cynical or cruel, and today, he was glad that he could be of some help to Michiko._

_ But even the vast stores of knowledge locked in his mind couldn't anticipate what happened next._

"_Hah, I knew it… You're Sarutoubi-san, after all!"_

_His eyes widened in shock for a moment as he turned to face the caller._

"_T-Torahku-san…?" It raced through his mind. Did he miscalculate, over-think or underestimate this boy's intelligence? Where was his flaw?_

_ He snapped back quickly and remained calm; there was only one way to find out. "How'd you know…?" he asked._

"_Souryuu Kaminogi, huh…?" Torahku shrugged, "People might think I'm an idiot in some aspects, but I know my video games. So Mr. Kaminogi, or Godou - whichever you prefer, tell me how Ms. Chihiro Ayasato is doing."_

_ Sarutoubi nodded acceptingly, "Ahh, okay… I get it. I relied on the assumption that no one paid as much attention to video games as I do. You win."_

"_Of course, I'm a genius, after all!" Torahku puffed out his chest._

_Sarutoubi rolled his eyes, "Umm, right…"_

"_Oh and plus," Torahku went on, "I _am_ a master at seeing through facades! Girls put them up all the time when I talk to them."_

If I'm not mistaken,_ Sarutoubi thought, _wouldn't that be a bad thing?_ He let it slide, however, because he was far too intrigued with the fact that someone had seen through him - to the real him._

"_So, what's your deal…?" Torahku asked._

"_Hmm…?"_

"_Do you think that no one deserves to know the real you? Or, do you think you're smarter than everybody? Because, you act _waayyy_ different from how everyone else thinks you act."_

"_That's the point." Sarutoubi nodded, "Where's the fun in everyone knowing the real me? You have to admit, it was fun to act all ninja-like, trying to follow me and discover if I really was who you thought I was."_

"_That's true… it was."_

"_Now just imagine how fun it is to live a life where no one can get inside your head. It's like you're the final boss that _no one_ can beat, am I right?"_

"_I beat you."_

"_Hmm…?"_

_Torahku pointed to his head, "_I_ got inside your head, didn't I?"_

_Sarutoubi smirked, "That's cuz you _hacked_ your way in."_

"_I like you Sarutoubi, let's be friends."_

"_H-huh…?" Sarutoubi _never_ thought he would hear those words being spoken to him._

_ Torahku extended his hand, "I like how your mind works; maybe you can help me get passed that first case in Gyakuten Saiban 4."_

_His shock passed quickly, "You need help with the _first_ case? That's the easiest one!"_

"_Hey…"_

_Sarutoubi shook Torahku's still extended hand. "Alright, I'll help you." Sarutoubi nodded._

"_Cool…! And, I promise to back you up on your whole 'second personality' thing." Torahku smiled, "Oh actually, there's one more thing I need to ask you."_

_ Sarutoubi sighed, "If you haven't beaten any of the previous games in the series, I suggest we start with those before Gyakuten Saiban 4."_

"_No, no not that…" Torahku shook his head, "Just a thought… If a girl tells you to get lost repeatedly, it means she likes you, right?"_

_ Sarutoubi burst out laughing; not his usual fake, (though surprisingly believable), laugh, but a full blown, straight-from-the-heart laugh - the first he's ever done. Wiping a tear from his eye he nodded at Torahku, "Alright… I'll help you with that too."_

"_**I don't build walls to keep people out… I build them to see who cares enough to knock them down…"**_

**A/N's: Well, I hope you liked that chapter, and sort of understand why I like Sarutoubi so much. I based him and Torahku, and their friendship, off of Tamaki Suou and Kyouya Otoori from Ouran High School Host Club; especially how it took an idiot like Tamaki (in this case, Torahku) to befriend someone as smart as Kyouya (Sarutoubi), and see the **_**real**_** them. Though, I added Sarutoubi's video game-like attitude, which is based off one of my friends, and the fact that he's not as dark, cynical or cruel, as Kyouya is. Tamaki and Torahku, on the other hand, could be each other's twins when it comes down to personality (though, maybe Torahku is a little more pursuing and self-centered than the former). The quote I used above was the main thing I based Sarutoubi and Torahku's relationship off of, because Sarutoubi used his intellect to push others away, but Torahku looked passed it. Another thing, I mentioned a video games series often in this chapter. Just some side notes:  
Gyakuten Saiban = Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney  
Gyakuten Kenji = Miles Edgeworth: Ace Investigations  
Souryuu Kaminogi = Diego Armando (Sarutoubi's favourite character)  
Godou = Godot  
Chihiro Ayasato = Mia Fey  
Reiji Mitsuruugi = Miles Edgeworth  
Igiari = Objection  
Kore Da = Eureka  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'm glad people are continuing to read this and review! So far on the popularity contest, Kaoru's in the lead. (^_^) See you in the next chapter!**


	25. Getting Warmer

Chapter 24: Getting Warmer

"You're going to what?"

"I've told you already, Katsuya Onii-san."

"That's the reason you brought that stupid cat here in the first place?"

"Of course," Kamina nodded.

"And what if something goes wrong, like what happened to the previous cat?"

"That only happened because not everyone knew about the… circumstances surrounding the cat's curse. Everyone knows about it now."

"Except for that idiot cat…"

"Well, if all goes according to plan, she won't _have_ to find out."

"You're just gonna trust that she'll be able to do it."

"_Everyone_ trusts that she is able to do it."

"And what if she can't?"

"_I_ believe she can." Kamina said, standing suddenly.

"Tch…" Katsuya scoffed as he stormed out of the room, "Fine, whatever…"

As he stepped out of Kamina's room, he ran into Kyonosuke, who was walking down the hallway.

"O-oh, good morning Katsuya nii-san," Kyonosuke bowed. "Forgive me for running into you; Izuna seemed to have ordered the three girls to annoy me."

"Ahh, good morning to you too, Kyon-kun…" Katsuya nodded.

Kyonosuke gave him an inquisitive look, "Is something the matter, Katsuya nii-san?"

Katsuya shook his head, "Nah, it's nothing. I just… need to clarify something, maybe you can help me."

"Of course," Kyonosuke answered, "You were always there for me, I'll help in anyway I can."

"Alright…" Katsuya began; his face devoid of any emotion at all. "How do you feel about the Sohma curse?"

Kyonosuke's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, "Nii-san, you've already asked me this before."

"I told you, I'm just clarifying something."

Kyonosuke hesitated before answering in a hushed voice, "I love the Sohma curse."

"And… just another thought, feel free not to answer, _why_ do you love the Sohma curse?"

"It's what brought me and Izuna together, after all. And, it's what makes Izuna smile when she's told how dog… or, 'wolf-like' she is."

Katsuya slapped him on the back; a playful expression suddenly looking alien-like on his, once, emotionless face. "You're just a regular romantic now, aren't ya, Kyon-kun?"

"That's because of the curse as well."

Katsuya nodded, his expressionless face returning as he crossed his arms. "Then, as it stands, there are two people in this family that do not want the curse to end…" He pointed to Kyonosuke, "you…" then pointed to himself, "…and me."

Kyonosuke looked up to see Katsuya smiling at him, like he had done when they were younger. "Looks like you're on my team, Kyon-kun."

"Y-yes…" Kyonosuke nodded at Katsuya, "I've _always_ been on your team, Katsuya nii-san!"

Katsuya smirked knowingly at Kyonosuke's obedience, "Good… I'm glad to hear that, Kyon-kun."

Meanwhile, Tohru had finished showering and Izuna had leaded her to the kitchen, where Akane and Kaoru were scrambling around as Torahku and Sarutoubi sat at the counter, idly enjoying their breakfast.

"Yo, if it isn't Neko-chan…! Good morning to you!" Sarutoubi waved enthusiastically.

Torahku stood immediately and took Tohru by her hand. "Yes, what a wonderful morning it is. Wouldn't you say, Mizunashi-chan?"

"Uhh…" Tohru nodded hesitantly, once again under the influence of Torahku's 'special power'. "K-Kaoru…!" she called, averting her gaze from Torahku. "Where's my mom?"

Kaoru turned from the food he was preparing to give Tohru his usual plastic smile. "I left her with one of the family members, who had been waiting to meet her since this morning."

"Oh…" Tohru nodded as she took a seat between Izuna and Sarutoubi at the counter. Torahku had already taken back to his seat, pouting slightly at how, as Sarutoubi mockingly told him, Tohru had chosen Kaoru over him.

Tohru stared intently at both Akane and Kaoru. The two turned to face her and Akane raised an eyebrow. "Is… something wrong?"

Kaoru smiled, "Ahh right, it seems that we're the only two animals in the zodiac that Kitten hasn't guessed."

Akane smiled slightly, "Not to worry, Tohru-chan. My animal will be the easiest to guess."

"Really…?" Tohru said expectantly, her eyes bright.

"Of course," Akane nodded, "…since it will be the last animal to guess." She turned to Kaoru. "I assume she understands that there is no trial and error."

Kaoru dipped his head accordingly, "Kitten understands that well enough, don't you Kitten?"

"H-huh… oh, yeah," Tohru answered; though her thoughts were elsewhere.

_Horse… Snake…_ she thought, _there are only two left so this should be easy._ She had thought it over since late last night, after Izuna and Kyonosuke had left her room. Tohru didn't know Akane well enough to guess based on personality but Kaoru…

She thought she understood Kaoru fairly well for a person that had only known him for four days. But Kaoru didn't give many hints. He acted both snake-like _and_ horse-like, so how was she to choose?

Tohru thought back to when she first started this guessing game. Michiko was too easy; playful, hyperactive, wants a lot of attention - she was obviously the bunny. If Akane hadn't given Tohru the hint yesterday morning, Tohru thought, she would still probably guess Ryusuke, Torahku and Sarutoubi's animals at some point; and the same went for Himemiya, Kana and Haruhi.

_And, just so we're clear…_ Tohru noted mentally, _The stupid rat _told_ me his animal._

More recently, Tohru had to think hard about Kyonosuke and Izuna's animals; they were tricky, but Tohru still got them nonetheless.

But this was really getting to her: she had known Kaoru the longest and yet, she had absolutely no clue as to what animal he was.

"Kitten…"

"H-huh…?" Tohru blinked. Kaoru's smiling face was too close for comfort; Tohru's face turned back into the colour of her hair.

"Your breakfast is going to get cold…" Kaoru nodded, pointing to the plate that had, somehow, made its way in front of her while she wasn't looking. "Oh and, while you were staring into space, everyone already left."

"E-Ehh…?" Tohru looked around, only to see that Kaoru was, once again, right. Akane, Izuna, Sarutoubi and the distraught Torahku had already disappeared from the room; leaving Kaoru and the confused red cat together.

Tohru shook her head. "O-oh… right." She nodded, digging into her food and stuffing a spoonful of scrambled eggs into her mouth. She paused for a moment.

"Kitten, is something wrong…?"

"This…" her mouth opened slightly, "T-this is amazing…!"

Kaoru smiled, sliding himself into the bar stool across the counter from Tohru. "You think so…?"

"D-did you make this, Kaoru?"

He nodded, smiling even wider at his kitten stuffing her face. "I'm glad you like it, Kitten."

When she had finished, he handed her a napkin, still smiling as wide as when she had started. "Was it really that good…?"

"You've never tasted your own cooking?"

"Well yeah, since, generally, I don't really cook…"

Tohru's mouth dropped, "But, those were the best scrambled eggs I've ever tasted! There's no way that's you're first time cooking!"

"I didn't say it was my first time, I said that I generally _don't_ cook." He shrugged, "I've never really gotten the chance to, around here." He nodded, using his thumb to wipe some ketchup that Tohru had failed to clean off near the corner of her mouth, "You were my first taste-tester, so thanks, Kitten!"

"You should let everyone in the clan taste this! It was great."

"Ahh well," Kaoru sighed, "I'm fine with just _one_ person knowing about it." He stood from the seat and winked at Tohru, "Especially if it's you, Tohru…"

All of the blood had, once again, made its way just in time to flush Tohru's cheeks for the second time in twenty minutes.

"U-umm…" was all she could say.

"C'mon," Kaoru laughed, opening the door to leave the kitchen, "You should probably be meeting Kamina-kun now."

Tohru snapped out of it before running to catch up with Kaoru. "Kay, I'm coming… w-wait up!"

"You're so slow, Kitten!" Kaoru called from down the hall. "I'll race you to Kamina-kun's room!"

"I-idiot, I don't know where it is!"

Kaoru stopped running and smiled at her as she finally caught up to him. "Ahh, you're right Kitten, I guess I haven't been doing well as your tour guide!"

Tohru put a hand on his shoulder, steadying herself as she panted. "N-no, you've been doing fine…" she said between gasps for air.

"You need to exercise more, Kitten…"

"Shut up…"

Kaoru laughed, "Ahh the sweet tone of normalcy. I haven't heard you say that all day, Kitten."

Tohru rolled her eyes, "Well, you haven't been as annoying all day. So… thanks…"

After he _didn't_ respond, Tohru looked up at him and noticed that he was eyeing something behind her. She turned around, only to see the horrible rat down the hallway; far enough so that he wouldn't see them, but close enough for them to hear his conversation.

"Ughh…" Tohru grunted, "And my morning was going so well until _he_ decided to rear his ugly head."

Tohru watched as another man stepped out of the room and into the hallway with Katsuya. The man had dark brown hair and deep light-violet… Tohru's eyes widened.

"D-Daisuke-san…?" she muttered.

Kaoru snapped his gaze at her. "Y-you know him?"

Tohru looked up at Kaoru, nodding, "Y-yeah, he showed up while I was sitting in the garden after the banquet. Right before you…" she trailed off; that little awkward situation between her and Kaoru was _really_ something she didn't feel like recalling.

"Did he say anything to you?"

Tohru shrugged, "Not much. All we did was introduce ourselves and look at the stars… Oh, but he did tell me a little about the old Tohru, and everything she did." She studied Kaoru's expression carefully. He was anxious and Tohru had only now noticed the dark bags under his usually smiling eyes - did he not get much sleep last night?

"I-is something wrong…?"

"N-no…" he shook his head, putting on his usual plastic smile. "It's just… about Daisuke Oji-san…"

"Oh, I knew it. He _is_ an uncle in the clan. He told me that he had a daughter and a son in the family."

Kaoru laughed a very dry-sounding laugh. "Did he really…?"

Tohru nodded slowly; she had never heard Kaoru use that kind of laugh before.

"Well don't worry Kitten, he wasn't lying to you."

"Hmm…?"

"You should know that… Daisuke Oji-san…" Kaoru pointed to where the man in question and Katsuya looked to be having an argument from their place down the hall. "Daisuke Oji-san is Katsuya's father…"

**A/N's: I'm getting kind of worried. People are still reading this, right? Sorry to ask, but I'm kinda paranoid. If it's because my A/N's are seemingly getting longer, then I hope this shorter one will compensate. Well, other than that: "Plot Twist Alert!" I'm steadily climbing to the climax of this story, so I hope everyone's looking forward to it. Next chapter (a Gaiden) will be about Akane and Ryusuke's back-stories so expect Kyonosuke, Izuna, Kaoru, Sarutoubi and Torahku to slip their way into there (maybe even Michiko, you never know). (^_^) Don't forget to review and tell me how I'm doing, because honestly I have no clue. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you guys in the next one!**


	26. Respect the Elders Gaiden chapter 5

Chapter 25: Gaiden 4 "Respect the Elders"

**What's in a Name?**

_ He had seen her around the estate for some time now; her long green hair, her faded purple eyes and the book that never left her hand. By Ryusuke's deduction, she was definitely his age but, perhaps, a few months younger - if her large eyes were any indication of someone less than five years of age. But as much as Ryusuke could know from simply observing, he did _not_ know her name._

_ That annoyed him. He knew everyone in the estate besides this green-haired bookworm, and that _really_ annoyed him. Not that anyone would know about his annoyance, however, because Ryusuke was simply too good at hiding it - no matter how much _not_ knowing this girl's name irked him._

_ But it wasn't that he _liked_ this girl in any way, he told himself. Though, he would admit to having a fascination about her namelessness, _and_ that he would like to get to know her a little better, possibly become friends (that being the first friendship he's ever had); this was, by no means, a signal of love. It was purely for informational purposes… wasn't it?_

_ Ryusuke shook his head; maybe he had too much going on his mind for a regular five-year-old kid but, considering the life he had to live each day, he wouldn't count himself as any regular 'five-year-old'. Because, he was sure, not many five-year-olds could turn into a 'dragon' when hugged or weak and they _certainly_ didn't know how to erase memories._

_ As Ryusuke turned a corned, concluding mentally that he was far from being an average five year old, he suddenly ran into someone._

"_S-sorry…" he apologized, helping the person he knocked down up from the floor._

_ To be honest, he _should've_ seen it coming - following the general rules of Shoujo manga, it was quite obvious who he ran into - but the fact was, he _didn't_ see it coming. He had noticed the moment he retrieved the book that had dropped from the floor. He turned his gaze from it, only to meet with the faded purple eyes he had come to know so well._

_ The green haired girl bowed her head slightly as she took her book from his frozen hands. "Thank you…" she muttered before walking passed him and off in the next direction._

"_W-wait I…" Ryusuke began, but it was too late - just like his chance of learning her name, she was gone._

_ Every day following their little encounter, he had begun to see her more frequently around the estate, still clutching her symbolic book against her chest. Ryusuke briefly wondered, in joking terms of course (because he was no where close to being an idiot), if he would still recognize her without that book clutched tightly in her hand. _

_ Soon, the two had run into each other so frequently that, at the sight of him, the girl would wave slightly and Ryusuke, of course, would do the same. But no amount of shy waves could get passed the fact that Ryusuke still didn't know this girl's name._

_ Then one day, Ryusuke was blessed. He walked down the hallway towards his room when he heard it. A group of elders were talking just down the hall, in the room on the right, just before his. He ran quickly to the wall alongside the door and listened closely._

"There are only two that know about it, right?"

"Yes, Ryusuke-san, the dragon, and Akane-san the-"

_ Ryusuke's eyes widened at the new information given to him. Though, there was no way of knowing this to be truth at the moment, there was one way to find out. He ran out into the side-garden and straight towards a large, shady tree that, he knew, was the green haired girl's reading sanctuary._

"_Hey…" Ryusuke began._

_The girl looked up. "Oh… it's you."_

"_Y-yeah…" he nodded, panting from running so hard._

"_You can sit, if you're so tired." The girl offered as Ryusuke complied._

"_Thanks…" he panted, "A… Akane-san…"_

_She shot him a glare._

"_I heard some of the elders talking…" he explained, "Is that your name, Akane-san?"_

_She nodded slowly, silently closing her book and placing it on the ground._

"_Ahh, I'm Ryusuke."_

"_Pleased to meet you Ryusuke-san…" she nodded, slowly reaching for her book, about to leave. Her mother had warned her about getting close to boys because…_

"_Oh, don't worry…!" Ryusuke began, seemingly reading her thoughts. "I'm in the zodiac as well. I'm the dragon."_

_ Akane's usual expressionless eyes showed a slight hint of interest as she sat herself back down alongside Ryusuke. Still reading her thoughts, Ryusuke answered, "I already know your animal, don't worry…"_

_ The faint interest in her eyes disappeared as quickly as it had come at the mention of her animal. "Well…" she sighed, "Go ahead and start…"_

_Ryusuke tilted his head, "Umm… start, what?"_

"_I'm just going to let you know that I am _never_ going to act like my predecessor, no matter what anyone says or thinks. No one can tell me what to do or how to act, not even my blood relatives."_

_ There was silence for a moment as both Akane and Ryusuke waited for the other to say something. Ryusuke boldly decided to go first._

"_Alright…" he nodded._

"_A-alright what…?"_

"_I'm not going to tell you to act like your predecessor. I'm not going to tell you how to act or what to do. The thought hadn't really crossed my mind. I only ran over here because I… wanted… to…" _

_ For the briefest of moments, Ryusuke was lost in Akane's expectant purple eyes, which were no longer characterized by boredom or uncaring, but genuine interest and hope._

"…_k-know your name…" he continued, snapping out of his sudden loss of character. It wasn't like him to suddenly trail off during a sentence. Hell, it wasn't even like him to loose his train of thought in the first place._

"_I wanted to know your name…"_

"_O-oh…" Akane nodded, somewhat embarrassed at both the fact that she blew up in his face and the fact that someone had taken an interest in her for the first time._

"_Well, now you know it." she shrugged, "It's not much of a name… I mean-"_

"_I like it." Ryusuke told her, cutting in on her sentence as she turned to face him quickly. He smiled gently at her. "It's… a very nice name."_

"_Th-thanks…" she muttered. "Ryusuke's a cool name too. Ahh, but it'll be too easy to guess your animal in the zodiac with a name like that."_

"_Well, my grandparents were the ones with the idea to name me like this."_

"_Your grandparents…?"_

"_Hatsuharu and Isuzu Sohma…" Ryusuke answered._

**Akane's Imouto (younger sister)**

"_D-did you see that? That girl just turned into a dog!"_

"_W-what the heck…? She's some kind of freak!"_

_ Izuna's voice was gone. A moment ago, she was playing soccer in the park with Kyonosuke; but that stupid boy from the next field over tripped and fell on her._

"_Where are you Kyon…?" he mind screamed. "Kyon…!"_

"_Izuna-chan…!"_

_ Her small dog's head looked up and around. Where as he…? Suddenly, there! Her saviour arrived with his arms outstretched in front of her._

"_Hey, leave her alone or else!" Kyonosuke's young four-year-old voice called._

"_Or else, what…?" one of the boys from the group that had now assembled sneered._

_Kyonosuke faltered, "O-or else…"_

"_Or else, you'll have to deal with us…" another voice called out, this time - a girl._

"_That's right…" a third voice added - a boy. "Akane, bring Izuna-chan and Kyon back to the estate."_

"_Understood, Ryusuke…" Eight-year-old Akane turned to the frozen Kyonosuke and rubbed him on the head. "That was very brave…" she told him. "C'mon, let's go back to the estate."_

_ Kyonosuke bent down and lifted Izuna's small dog form into his arms. "Will Izuna-chan be alright?" he asked as they started on their way to the estate._

"_She'll be fine." Akane assured him as she gently took Izuna from his arms._

"_Suke-nii didn't have to come to the rescue…" Kyonosuke pouted. "I had it under control."_

_ Akane nodded. "Ryusuke has a special power that will make everyone forget that they saw Izuna-chan. That's why he had to come."_

"_Yeah… but now he'll probably yell at me when he gets back." Kyonosuke sighed, "He hasn't been the same since Oji-san and Oba-chan died."_

"_Yeah…" Akane said distantly. "I know what you mean…"_

_ When they arrived at the estate, Akane brought the dog-turned Izuna into her room just before Izuna changed back into a human._

_Akane handed her the clothes that Kyonosuke had gathered for her. "Here Izuna-chan…"_

"_Th-thank you… umm…"_

"_Akane," she answered, "I'm Akane."_

_Izuna nodded, "Got it! Thank you Akane-sensei!"_

"_H-huh…? Sensei…? I'm not your sensei."_

"_Yes you are!" Izuna looked up at Akane with eyes full of innocence. "You have to teach me to be brave and smart like you! You're my sensei!"_

_ Her smile melted Akane's heart as she gave the dog a tired smile. "Alright, I'm your sensei…" she rubbed her head, "…Izu-chana."_

**Akane's Otouto (younger brother)**

_ She had seen him walking around the estate plenty of times; his dark-brown hair, his reddish-looking eyes, and that fake-looking smile he always had plastered on. But, much unlike Ryusuke's dilemma when they were younger, Akane knew this boy's name._

_ Maybe she listened better than Ryusuke did. Or, maybe it was because that eight-year-old rabbit was just too loud for her own good. But either way, Akane thought she knew this boy fairly well._

_ So, on the day that she saw him sitting alone without his signature fake-smile, she was slightly confused. That smile had always gotten to her; it just screamed "I don't really feel happy" but that boy put it on, nonetheless - and _everyone_ believed him. But, Akane would not be fooled._

_ She knew. Well, she _assumed_ that she knew, but was pretty sure she was right. Deep down, that boy was lonely. She hadn't _ever_ seen him talk to anyone besides Michiko; and even _that_ didn't happen very often._

_ She approached the boy with a look of concern. He was staring intently at the ground, not moving an inch, almost as if he was frozen._

"_Hey…" Akane called softly._

_The boy lifted his head up at her. "Oh, good afternoon…"_

"_Akane…"_

"_Akane Onee-san…"_

"_Do you mind if I sit with you?"_

"_N-no, go right ahead."_

_Akane complied, resting her head on the wall behind them. "You're Kaoru… aren't you?"_

"_Y-yeah…" he turned to face her. "I-I've seen you before, walking with Ryusuke-nii. You're part of the zodiac, aren't you?"_

"_Yeah, I am. And, I've heard, that you are too."_

_ Kaoru smiled, just like Akane predicted, his usual fake-smile. "Well, you heard right, Akane Onee-san."_

"_Mhmm…" she nodded, resting her head against he wall again. "I also heard another thing about you. Pardon my intrusion, but Michiko-chan told me. You…" her voice got softer, "You were the caretaker for Tohru Oba-chan and Kyo Oji-san weren't you?"_

_Kaoru's smile faded. "Y-yeah… I was…"_

"_I'm sorry…"_

_Kaoru shook his head, "I-it's quite alright… These kinds of things happen all the time…"_

"_Ahh, you have point there." Akane nodded, "But, I'll tell you a secret on how to get passed it when these things _do_ happen."_

_ Kaoru looked intrigued as Akane told him, her face devoid of emotion - but the power of her words, speaking for her. "All you need to do is smile and move on…"_

"_H-huh…?"_

"_Can you do that for me, Kao-chan?"_

_ Kaoru raised an eyebrow as she continued. "Because… y'know, _Kao_ is the Japanese word for _Face…_" A slight smile played on her, usually, expressionless face. "And, I'd very much like to see a happy Kao-chan…"_

_ Kaoru wasn't sure. He went back to staring at the ground as Akane went on. "Oh, you know… I think Tohru Oba-chan and Kyo Oji-san might just want to see a happy Kao-chan too."_

_Kaoru looked straight at her, still, emotionless face._

"_So… can you do that for them, Kao-chan?"_

_ Slowly, a smile grew on Kaoru's face. It was genuine, sincere, and the first Akane had ever seen him do. She was almost tempted to smile herself. _Almost,_ but she wasn't going to._

_Kaoru bowed his head, "Thank you, Akane nee-chan…"_

_Akane stood and messed up his hair with her hand before walking off. "Anytime, Kao-chan…"_

"_Hmph, who knew you, could be nice to people by yourself?" Ryusuke scoffed as Akane walked passed him in the hallway._

_She walked straight to Ryusuke. "Hey Ryusuke…"_

"_Yes, Akane…?"_

_ The small smile the twelve-year-old girl had been concealing finally made its way onto her face as she poked Ryusuke in the chest._

"_Shut up…" _

_Ryusuke smiled at her. "As you wish…"_

**A/N's: I had to write this chapter without mentioning Akane's animal, which was kinda tough. Anyway, Ryusuke and Akane's relationship with each other is probably my favourite. They have so much respect for each other and Akane won't do what anyone tells her, except for Ryusuke because he doesn't place any expectations on her. Their relationship is **_**loosely**_** based on Lelouch and C.C. from Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. (Sorry to any Kallen X Lelouch fans or Shirley X Lelouch fans, but I ship C.C. X Lulu all the way!) I even based Akane off of C.C. (the green hair and a little of the personality, though Akane's no pizza addict). And Ryusuke is a mixture of the previous dragon, Hatori, and Lelouch (and one of my friends' personalities).I'm not sure where the next Gaiden chapter will bring us but, do look forward to the next present-day chapter because the climax is getting closer and closer. In any case, please review and continue reading!**


	27. Makoto Truth

Chapter 26: Makoto (Truth)

Katsuya ran. He didn't know where he was going and he didn't care that, after awhile, his calves were on fire. He just ran as far as he could. He ran passed the symbolic cracked wall that wouldn't exist if not for him and 'black' Haruhi. He ran past the benches near the tree where he and Kaoru would always sit and give Kyonosuke advice.

_Back before that cat ruined everything…_ his mind remarked.

Yes, he ran straight to his only sanctuary; the one place that, through his life, made things a little better. Call him a fitness-freak, call him a jock, he didn't care; he just ran straight to the Kazuma Dojo.

_When you're confused… you train._

_When you're feeling angry… you train._

_When you feel that nothing could get worse… you train._

_When nothing makes sense anymore… you train._

Each part of his moral code played rhythmically in his head as he punched one of the bags hanging from the ceiling.

"Katsuya-kun…? I didn't expect you here."

He stopped punching to turn and face his caller; a slender woman with long black hair tied into a tight ponytail and deep red eyes, wearing the usual training outfit.

"Rin-sensei…!" Katsuya bowed. "I'm sorry for sneaking into the dojo but…"

The lady named Rin smiled, putting a hand on Katsuya's head. Katsuya looked up at her distant expression. "When my father was angry, he would always come to the dojo to punch something too." She smiled, "But then again, he went 'black' much more than Haruhi-chan."

She walked over to the other side of the punching bag and held it steady. "You should've met him Katsuya-kun. He got along with Yuki Oji-san pretty well back in the day."

"Was Yuji Oji-san… anything like me?"

Katsuya had to ask. Though, he usually didn't care about the differing opinions of others, especially those of a certain over-active rabbit, something she had said once had gotten to him.

"_Ughh…! You know Katsuya-nii; I _was_ excited to meet you at first… But you're _nothing_ like Yuki Oji-sama! He wouldn't do half of the stuff that you did! He was kind-hearted to Tohru Oba-sama and he was always nice to everyone. I'll never acknowledge you as the rat!"_

Rin was taken aback. "_Michiko-chan_ said that? I can hardly believe it."

"I guess I'm just the only person that gets on her nerves. I don't understand it either."

Rin poked her head out from behind the punching bag. "Ahh, I said I couldn't believe it, I didn't say I couldn't understand it."

Katsuya tilted his head, "What…?"

Rin roundhouse-kicked the sand bag, sending Katsuya flying to the ground. She walked calmly towards him and offered her hand.

"I thought I taught you to never let your guard down…" Rin crossed her arms at the, now standing, Katsuya.

Katsuya winced in pain. "Ahh, you're right. I'm sorry sensei."

"That…" she stared intently at him. "That right there… was very cat-like of you."

Katsuya looked straight at her deep red eyes; he knew the expression she was giving him. It was always the same part-frown, part-'look of disappointment', part-condescending eyes, and part-kindness in her voice that she used whenever she lectured someone.

"Not the cat in general…" she muttered. "I've heard from my sons that this new cat is quite different from the previous one. But what you did… let me rephrase, was very Kyo-like of you."

Katsuya's eyebrows furrowed as Rin shrugged. "You may hate the cat, being the rat and all, but I wonder… If you had met Kyo Oji-san, as you are now, I think you'd get along rather nicely."

"R-really sensei…?" Katsuya couldn't comprehend how he could get along with Kyo; he _was_ the cat, after all.

Her distant expression returned as she continued. "Kyo Oji-san and my father weren't exactly on good terms, definitely not the same as my father's relationship with Yuki Oji-san, that's for sure. Over the years, yeah… they got along better and my father had, more or less, a clear understanding of Kyo Oji-san's character. From what he told me when I was little, and from what I saw of Kyo Oji-san myself, he acted very much like you Katsuya-kun."

Katsuya looked to the floor; he didn't like how this conversation had turned on him. He wanted to be more like _Yuki,_ not the previous cat. But, then again, he trusted Rin-sensei more than anyone else in the world; she had to be going somewhere with this line of conversation.

"Kyo Oji-san's mother died, you know?"

Katsuya looked straight at his sensei.

_That caught his attention,_ Rin smirked.

"Kyo Oji-san was kind hearted, but… as you can relate, he let his anger get the better of him, blinding him from seeing the bigger things happening around him. He usually vented his anger at Yuki Oji-san, who also had a strong dislike for Kyo Oji-san. But, you know what…?"

Katsuya blinked. "W-what…?"

"Yuki Oji-san and Kyo Oji-san knew each other the best…"

Katsuya was completely caught up in Rin's speech; eyes wide with interest.

"Perhaps, their hate for each other was partly the God spirit, Akito Oji-san's fault. He pitted them against each other and sent them, quite literally, into a dark corner of despair." Rin clenched her fists, "But then again, he did the same with many of the previous zodiac members," despite her calm demeanour, her red eyes flared, "…including my mother…"

She shook her head and turned back to Katsuya, "So… you never _did_ tell me why you were angry enough to become Kyo-like."

Katsuya's throat went dry. "T-that's… because…" he muttered the rest incomprehensibly under his breath.

Rin raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry…?"

Katsuya gulped, "M-my father… he told me that… that… that horrible cat is…"

Rin's eyes widened for a slight moment of shock as her short-fuse student uttered the most unexpected words she thought she had ever heard.

Katsuya's fists balled at his sides as he walked over to the sandbag and punched it forcefully.

"Tell me it's not true Rin-sensei!" he pleaded, punching the sandbag again and again. "T-tell me… _Please _tell me that stupid cat is NOT my damn sister! It's i-impossible, isn't it?"

Rin was taken aback, mentally deciding that she would need to have a chat with Daisuke in a moment.

"K-Katsuya-kun, calm down…!" Rin ordered. "Calm down and breathe! Tell me what happened."

Katsuya exhaled, giving the bag one more clean punch (that would, in normal cases, send a man flying) before relaying the events that took place with his father.

_ After waving Kyonosuke off, Daisuke stepped out of his room and called his son to come over._

"_You need something, father?" Katsuya asked as the two sat across from each other in Daisuke's room._

_ Daisuke looked at his son for a moment before sighing, "This… isn't exactly something easy to talk about."_

"_Is something wrong…?"_

_ Daisuke looked into Katsuya's grey eyes. "Back when you were little, you asked me where your mother was, remember?"_

"_Tch…" Katsuya scoffed, "You expect me to forget? That was the day I became _sure_ of my hatred for that vile cat."_

_Daisuke nodded, "Y-yes… but, do you remember _exactly_ what my answer was to you?"_

"_You told me that mother wasn't with us because _I_ was in the zodiac and that the cat was to blame." Katsuya recalled. "You also said that it was partly _your_ fault but… I don't blame you for not being able to protect mother. I'm sure that it was out of your hands."_

_Daisuke's eyebrows furrowed, "W-what…?"_

"_I said that I don't blame you for not protecting mother from that horrible cat. It's kind of lucky, though it sounds kind of selfish, but if you _did_ try to protect mother, you may not have survived."_

_Daisuke was confused; _were they talking about the same events?

"_S-son… do you mind telling me _exactly_ what you think happened to your mother?" He was afraid, but completely expecting, what Katsuya's answer would be._

"_That horrid cat killed mother, didn't she? I-I know some people may think that a sweet-looking girl like her couldn't do something like that but… She _is_ the cat, after all."_

_ Daisuke sighed again; perhaps he should've been a little clearer when explaining it to Katsuya so many years ago - if he had, they certainly wouldn't be having this conversation now. But he was naïve then, not sure of how much to say and how much not to say, and how much his small soul could handle._

_ His expression hardened. He knew his son well and could see one of his glaringly obvious character flaws with ease._

"_Son, let me ask you this… How old does that cat look?" Daisuke feared angering his son more by using Tohru's name; then he wouldn't ever get a proper answer from him._

"_I'm guessing… me and Kaoru's age?"_

"_So, how old would she be when your mother was 'killed'?"_

_ Katsuya saw where he went wrong but, it was just too convenient for that cat to be the same age as him. The people in this family could change into animals for God's sake, why would an un-aging person sound so farfetched?_

"_T-that doesn't matter…! She killed mother, didn't she?"_

"_Katsuya…" his father began, "When I told you that mother couldn't be here with us I _absolutely_ don't recall mentioning that she was dead."_

_Katsuya's eyes widened, "W-what are you saying…?"_

"_I-it was complicated back then… We didn't get the information fast enough and… we were confused."_

"_What are you talking about, father?"_

"_Katsuya, the reason I had to stay with you and your mother had to stay behind was because…" Daisuke bit his lip, "Y-your mother gave birth to twins…"_

_Katsuya tried to say something but his voice was gone, leaving his mouth agape in shock._

"_When you were born first, your mother couldn't cradle you because the second baby was coming. You were given to me as soon as you were born. Your mother only had the chance to hold the second child, who was weaker and needed to stay in the hospital for an extra day. You were healthy enough so I brought you home without your mother even seeing you. After your sibling came home and we had named the two of you, your mother laid her eyes on you for the first time and smiled so wide that tears welled in her eyes. But it was short-lived when she had to answer the phone. That was when it happened…"_

_Katsuya shook his head, "F-father… no…"_

"_We laid the two of you together in the crib and I bent down to pick up your sibling… your sister…" Tears threatened to fall out of Daisuke's purple eyes; he gulped. "…and she turned into the cat…"_

_ Katsuya didn't think his eyes could get any wider, but was thoroughly proven wrong after his father's statement. He shook his head. "N-no… it's not true… T-that cat isn't… She's not…!"_

_ Despite how painful it seemed, Daisuke continued. "Tohru-chan, the cat… she had to stay with your mother outside of the estate while I brought you here. But when Kamina-kun found out, he called for her and… we had no choice."_

_Katsuya stood abruptly as his father shook his head. "I'm sorry Katsuya… I'm sorry."_

"_I… I don't believe you!" he yelled, "I-it's not true! None of it is true! Mother's dead and that cat killed her! That is the only truth!" And, with his sudden outburst complete, Katsuya dashed out of the room, his mind swirling with a million thoughts at once._

"And that's what brought me here…" Katsuya muttered.

Rin gulped. How much drama could the world put on these cursed few before it was satisfied? It was a question she had been eating at her since she was born from two of the zodiac; and then gave birth to two more.

She wasn't sure exactly how to handle something like this. Hesitantly at first, she put a hand on Katsuya's shoulder.

"W-what are you going to do now…?"

Katsuya looked up with determination. He had, randomly though conveniently, recalled a conversation he once had with Kaoru when they were younger.

"**No way, that can't be true, dude!" Katsuya laughed.**

"**No, I'm serious, ask any of the elders and they'll tell you." Kaoru pushed on.**

"**Nah, I know you love the Sohma history and all but that's just stupid."**

"**I'm serious!" Kaoru nodded, "When Kyo Oji-san's special beads were taken off, he turned into this crazy monster-creature-thing that everyone was afraid of! It apparently happened to every cat spirit, that's why they made those beads for them."**

Katsuya turned to his sensei, his eyes filled with determination. "I…" His conversation with Kaoru played over and over in his head. "I know _exactly_ what I'm going to do…" he stated finally before bolting out of the dojo into a pouring rain that had started suddenly.

This was the only way.

"Yes…" he thought, "This was the only way to get rid of that horrible cat." He turned his head and noticed Kyonosuke walking along in the side garden.

_If I'm going to do this,_ he thought, staring at Kyonosuke, _I'm going to need my 'team-mate's' help._

This was going to end.

**A/N's: Wow, I think Katsuya's the most complicated character I've ever created (though Akane and Kyonosuke are kind of challenging too). You can already see the climax coming, can't you? I swear I nearly cried when I was writing Daisuke's explanation to Katsuya. (I get **_**way**_** too into my writing sometimes.) The climax is so close, so I'm going to hold back on the Gaiden chapters for now (next chapter will be a normal one) - I hope no one minds. Don't forget to review - I'm still interested in who everyone's favourites are. Anyway, I'll see you in the next "drama-filled" chapter!**


	28. Relations Break

Chapter 27: Relations Break

"Ughh…" Tohru stopped midway in the hallway, putting a hand on her head.

Kaoru turned quickly and ran to her side. "K-Kitten, are you alright?"

Tohru shook her head and looked up to smile at him. "I-I'm fine." She stared out the window, "I never feel my best when it's raining…"

Kaoru gave her a soft smile. "That's cute…"

"E-Ehh…?" Tohru was slightly confused. Kaoru's usual teasing words had a strange, and slightly comforting, new depth to them.

Damn, she really hated how the blood loved rushing to her face nowadays. She already had to deal with comments on her red hair; she couldn't deal with them on a red face as well.

Kaoru put a hand on her head, "Don't worry, Kamina-kun's room is just down there…" he pointed off down the hallway. He smiled playfully, "I'll give you a piggy-back ride if you're not up to walking."

Tohru rolled her eyes; _there_ was that teasing tone she was looking for. She briskly walked ahead of him. "I'm fine, thanks…"

"Ahh wait, Tohru…!" Kaoru called, stepping after her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

She eyed the new contact before turning her expectant gaze at Kaoru. "Yeah…?"

Kaoru stood straight, averting his gaze from hers and, though Tohru was _sure_ her mind was playing tricks on her, she could see a slight tint of red on his face.

"A-after Kamina-kun talks with you… _I_ need to tell you something too…"

Tohru looked around the empty hallway before turning back to him and tilting her head. "Why can't you tell me now…?"

Kaoru looked straight at her. "Y-you're right…" The hand that was still on Tohru's shoulder tightened suddenly. "T-Tohru-chan… I…"

"Hmm, Tohru-nee, is that you?"

"Ehh, Kyonosuke-kun…?" Tohru turned quickly, leaving Kaoru to loose all confidence in a flash.

Kaoru shook his head; as he had planned, he would just have to tell her _after_ Kamina. He smiled his usual smile and waved to Kyonosuke. "Did Kamina-kun send you to get us? Sorry, we were running a little late."

Kyonosuke shrugged, opening the door to Kamina's room and gesturing them inside. "It's alright, you can come in now. Kamina's waiting."

Tohru turned to Kaoru and smiled hesitantly, "S-sorry you got interrupted Kaoru. You can tell me after." She nodded before walking down the hallway and through the door that Kyonosuke held for her.

As soon as she was within the room, Kaoru's smile transitioned into an expression similar to a five-year-old not being able to buy something from the toy store.

"You couldn't have given me, like, ten minutes?" Kaoru nudged Kyonosuke.

Kyonosuke simply laughed, "Ahh, I'm sorry Kaoru nii-san. But you really shouldn't leave Kamina waiting."

"It's not like he's gonna care…" Kaoru shrugged as the two followed Tohru inside the room.

"Yeah, but Izuna would…"

Kaoru nodded, "True… true…"

The first thing the two boys saw as they entered the room was a standing Tohru, seemingly shocked. Kaoru side-glanced in the direction his kitten was facing, only to see Daisuke and Tohru's mother sitting at either side of Kamina. And, off in the corner of the room, Izuna was leaning against the wall where Kyonosuke walked to join her.

"D-Daisuke-san, long time-no see…" Tohru nodded, "Oh, and good morning Kamina-sama."

Kaoru stepped over to her side and the two sat down. His eyes locked with Daisuke's for a moment before Kaoru smiled at Kamina.

"Good morning, Kamina-kun…" he nodded, "And good morning to you too, Daisuke Oji-san…"

"Aside from the rain…" Tohru's mother added, turning her head to Tohru. "Sweetie, are you alright?"

"Y-yeah…" she answered weakly. "I-it's just rain mom…"

Kamina's eyes lit up, "Oh, are you not feeling well, Tohru Onee-san? We could postpone for-"

Tohru coughed, "N-no… it's fine Kamina-sama. Please continue. This'll pass after the rain is finished."

Kaoru eyed the rain pouring outside the window suspiciously. _There wasn't any mention of rain for this entire week's forecast. This is just like back then…_ He looked around the room. _But that's impossible, isn't it? Everyone already knows about…_

"Kaoru…!" Tohru nudged him.

Kaoru snapped out of his thoughts, shaking his head, "Hmm…? Yes, sorry…"

"Kamina-sama was asking you something." She told him as he turned his gaze to the God spirit.

"Maybe, you should explain what the previous Tohru did to _this_ Tohru," Kamina offered, "since; you know the most about her."

Kaoru shrugged, "Don't say that Kamina-kun, Mii-chan brought you to meet her, a couple of times."

"Yes but, you met with her everyday." Kamina pushed on.

Tohru looked to Kaoru, "Y-you knew the previous Tohru?"

"Kaoru-kun was Kyo and her caretaker…" Daisuke explained. "He was really close with them."

"W-why didn't you tell me?" Tohru asked; eyes wide with excitement and wonder.

"You never asked, Kitten." He sighed, "Tohru Oba-chan and Kyo Oji-san were…"

"The ones to break the Sohma curse…" Tohru interrupted; quite content with cutting in on Kaoru's sentence for once.

"How'd you know that?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her.

"Daisuke-san told me everything about her." She nodded; not noticing practically everyone in the room shoot a glance at the hesitantly smiling Daisuke.

"Her name's Tohru, she should know where her name came from, right?" he shrugged.

"So it would seem…" Kaoru nodded.

Kamina cleared his throat, "So… umm, that speeds things along. M-maybe I should just say it aloud."

Both Tohru and Kaoru turned to face him with expectant looks. To the extent of Kaoru's knowledge, Kamina had asked him to bring the cat to the banquet so that she would discover who she was and to meet the rest of the zodiac. He knew that he had something else to ask her, but he was never told what it was.

And, both he and Tohru would never get the chance to find out; at least, not in this particular moment.

A sudden yell was heard as the door slammed open. "CAT…!" Katsuya yelled.

Tohru and Kaoru stood quickly; Tohru already in fighting stance. Her eyes squinted in anger. "Sohma…" she muttered.

Daisuke took to his feet as well. "Katsuya, what are you doing?" he yelled.

Kamina was frozen and Izuna and Kyonosuke had made it to his side. "Kami-chama already told you what Tohru Nee-chan is going to do. You can't stop it now, Katsuya Onii-san!" Izuna exclaimed.

Tohru dashed at Katsuya and spun for a tornado kick, but her hand was caught by Katsuya. He pulled at it until her back hit his chest and he held her arms back.

"Katsuya…!" Kaoru called, "Y-you're not actually going to…" Kaoru, once again, eyed the rain outside the window. _This wasn't going to end well._

Tohru tried to struggle free but Katsuya just laughed dryly, completely devoid of emotion. "Hah, looks like you didn't get much of a history lesson from Kaoru. The rat was always stronger than the cat!"

"Katsuya stop this now!" Daisuke ordered, currently at the side of Tohru's shocked mother.

"Kyon-kun, do it now!" Katsuya yelled; deaf from anyone's yelling.

Kyonosuke stood silently to Izuna's horror. "K-Kyon… what're you doing?" Izuna pulled at his pant leg.

He turned to her and tried to smile. "It'll be alright Izuna… don't worry. We can trust Katsuya nii-san."

"K-Kyon…!" Izuna yelled after him as her boyfriend walked towards the still struggling Tohru.

"K-Kyonosuke-san, what… what are you doing?" Tohru asked shakily as Kyonosuke's hand moved to her beaded necklace.

"Forgive me… Tohru Onee-san…" he muttered as he took hold of the beads and ripped them off of their place at Tohru's neck.

"Katsuya… NO!" Daisuke ran towards his son, pulling him away from Tohru.

"Kyonosuke…!" The boar looked back at Izuna, who was shielding Kamina and Tohru's mother, giving Kyonosuke the most horrified expression he had ever seen. He immediately knew he had done wrong.

But, it was too late. Tohru's black and white beads lay scattered across the floor and Kaoru ran to the side of the confused cat. Katsuya had released his grip from her and was currently with the angered Daisuke. Tohru was crouched on the ground, her hands holding her head in fear. Something was growing inside her. A horrible feeling was taking over and tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Kaoru put his hands around her shoulders and she looked up at him. "K-Kaoru… w-what's happening?"

Kaoru tightened his grip around Tohru, his head resting on hers. "I-it'll be okay T-Tohru… Don't worry…"

_Please…!_ Kaoru's mind screamed, _please don't let it happen to Tohru… Don't let me loose her… Not Tohru… Not Tohru…_

He was suddenly pulled away from the screaming cat by the back of his collar. "Kao-chan…!" Akane was there dragging him away from Tohru. "You know what's going to happen better than anyone!"

"A-Akane-nee… No, please you don't understand. T-Tohru, she'll…"

A blood-curdling scream emitted from Tohru as the room went hazy. The sound of clothes ripping and the wall crashing down mixed with the agonizing backtrack of the rain. When the mist and smoke cleared, a hideous creature stood in the place of the girl known as Tohru. A foul stench filled the room as the bony-looking, hideously deformed creature's head looked around frantically.

Katsuya shook loose of his father's grasp to stare at the creature. "Tch…" he scoffed, loud enough for everyone to hear. "How disgusting…"

Tohru's mother burst out crying as Izuna tried to comfort her and Kamina, all while angrily glaring at Kyonosuke. The boar was in the midst of being scolded by Ryusuke, who had entered along with Akane after they had heard the commotion. Akane was holding a struggling Kaoru back.

"Kaoru, going in there is suicide!" she tried to explain. "You know that!"

"I don't care…!" he yelled back, but Akane's grip was much stronger. "Tohru…!"

_This is the scene that Michiko had run into._

"Katsuya-nii…!" she yelled. "You've gone too far…!"

Her eyes widened when they came across the disfigured monster that had become of her cousin Tohru. "T-Tohru-chan…!" she exclaimed, trying to run towards her.

Akane grabbed her sleeve. "Do I need to stop you too?" she called, pulling the rabbit back along with Kaoru.

Tohru's mind was clouded. _What was going on? What was this hideous feeling growing inside my chest? Why is everyone staring at me? What did Sohma say, disgusting? My form must have changed! I must be some sort of horrible creature. Kaoru had said…_

She recalled his words quite clearly: "The cat is the most… unique of the Sohma curse…"

She couldn't take it anymore. She gave everyone in the room one last look before dashing off through the hole in the wall that she had created, running into the pouring rain and off into the thick forest that surrounded the estate.

"Tohru…!" Kaoru yelled. He turned and looked up at Akane, who slowly released her grip of him and Michiko.

"Go…" a word full of meaning.

Kaoru nodded. "Michiko…!" he called as the rabbit jumped on his back and the two ran off into the rain, after Tohru.

"Bring her back…" Akane whispered, hoping the wind would carry her thoughts to them.

"Just as I thought… Katsuya, too, stared out into where Kaoru had bolted off. "Everyone was right Kaoru… the rat and the horse just _can't_ be friends after all…"

The room went deathly silent.

**A/N's: Well, some people should have seen it coming but, there it is: published and everything. Sorry for the slow update, but we went on a road trip-ish thing and I finished this as soon as I got back. I know you'll all hate me for this but, next chapter is Katsuya and Kaoru's Gaiden. (SORRY!) But be patient, all good manga has Omake (filler) chapters when the story is getting good. It's too bad Tohru ran off before hearing Kaoru's animal. Oh well, now we all know it, but she's still in the guessing game. See you all in the next chapter.**


	29. Out of A Shoujo Manga Gaiden chapter 6

Chapter 28: Gaiden 5 "Out of A Shoujo Manga"

"_Ahh Ryusuke and Akane-chan, have you come to train?"_

_Twelve-year-old Ryusuke smiled, "Not at the moment, mother…"_

_Akane nodded, "I wanted to introduce you to Kaoru, Rin-sensei."_

_ Rin crouched down in front of the nine-year-old horse and smiled. "Hey, you want to learn some martial arts, huh?"_

_Kaoru nodded, "If… that's okay."_

_ Ryusuke stepped to one side and turned to his mother. "Kaoru-san is the horse in the zodiac… Just like Isuzu Oba-chan."_

_ Rin smiled brightly, standing straight and putting her hands on her hips. "How perfect…! Oh, you'll make a great sparring partner for one of my other students!"_

_Akane put a hand on Kaoru's head before she left. "Don't forget to smile, Kao-chan."_

"_Thanks, Akane-nee…" he smiled before running after Rin into the next room._

"_You can have my little brother, if you want one so badly." Ryusuke joked as the two walked away from the Kazuma Dojo._

_Akane rolled her eyes, "You're so mean to Kyonosuke-kun."_

_ Meanwhile, Rin lead Kaoru towards a training room where a boy his age was punching one of the sandbags hanging from the ceiling._

"_Your form's all wrong!" Rin yelled as the boy stopped and turned to her to bow._

"_My apologies, Rin-sensei…!" He looked up and tilted his head at Kaoru._

_Rin nodded, "Meet your new sparring partner, Kaoru-kun."_

_ Kaoru reached his hand out and, hesitantly at first, Katsuya shook it. "Nice to meet you Kaoru-san, I'm Katsuya."_

_ Just then, there was another knocking at the door and Rin sighed. "Ughh, why are so many people showing up today!" she sighed, "Okay you two, start with one-step sparring pattern number 6 while I go get the door. Katsuya-kun," she waved a finger at him before running to get the door. "Be nice to Kaoru-kun, okay?"_

_ Katsuya bowed again, "Yes ma'am!" He turned to Kaoru after Rin had left. "Okay, just follow what I'm doing…" he instructed, beginning the pattern._

_Kaoru nodded as he slowly copied Katsuya's movements._

"_A low block… step forward… high block… side-step… front-kick…" Katsuya muttered, more to himself, though it helped Kaoru as well._

"_So you're in the zodiac too, right?" Kaoru asked as the two went on with the pattern._

"_Yeah, I'm the rat…"_

_Kaoru smiled, "I'm the-"_

"_Hmm, who's this?" a man's voice cut off Kaoru's sentence._

"_He's Kaoru-kun," Rin's voice answered as the two boys heard footsteps approaching, "Katsuya-kun's new sparring partner."_

_ Katsuya looked up as Rin and the man walked into the dojo. "Oh, father… It's a little early to pick me up, isn't it?"_

_ Rin rolled her eyes, "That's what I told him… But Daisuke-kun is just a little too eager to meet your new sparring partner."_

_ The two boys gave her quizzical looks as she winked at them. "Ryusuke and Akane-chan probably tipped him off, huh?"_

_ Daisuke face-palmed, "Geez Rin-chan, how can you be so carefree? You haven't changed _at all_ since we were kids."_

"_Exactly…" she nodded, "I've always been the fun one, and you've always been the stick in the mud, right, Dai-kun?"_

"_Don't call me that, daddy's-girl!"_

"_How dare you call me that?"_

"_Would you prefer: Haru? Since we _all_ know that it's not your _real_ name."_

"_You're dead! You forget that we're in _my_ dojo."_

"_Oh, I'm _so_ scared of the techniques that _everyone _in the clan is taught."_

_ Kaoru looked from the feuding two to Katsuya, who simply shrugged, "Yeah, they're always like this. Father and Rin-sensei were childhood friends or… rivals, I guess."_

_The two boys laughed as the so-called 'adults' continued to quarrel._

"_Hey," Katsuya whispered to Kaoru, "They'll be at this for hours. Do you wanna go play in the park down the street?"_

"_Yeah sure…" Kaoru nodded as the two slipped out of the dojo, with Rin and Daisuke completely unaware of their departure._

"_So anyway," Daisuke went on after the two boys had left, "who was Katsuya's new sparring partner?"_

"_Oh, that's Kaoru-kun, the horse of the zodiac."_

"_W-what?" he sighed, "You really are an idiot, aren't you Rin-chan?"_

"_W-why…? They're both in the zodiac so it's not like they're gonna transform besides when they get weak. And they're both _boys_ so the part after transformation won't really bother them, now would it? See Dai-kun, I thought this through."_

_Daisuke shook his head. "This isn't a matter of transformation, Rin-chan, it's the animals."_

_ A confused expression played on the sensei's face. "The animals…? What does that have to do with anything?"_

"_You never paid any attention when we were learning Sohma history, did you?"_

"_Tch, why would I need to pay attention when my parents lived it?"_

"_Okay, then you never listened to your parents, did you?"_

_Rin's eyes narrowed, "Bite your tongue! I never disobeyed my parents!"_

"_Rin, the horse and the rat are clashing zodiac animals. They're personality traits guarantee their enmity for each other."_

"_You're too well-read on the subject." Rin sighed, "You always _were_ a stickler for the rules, Daisuke." She smiled slyly. "Ahh, except for who you married… It was a very interesting choice, Mr. Out-of-the-family."_

"_I could say the same to you Rin-chan."_

_ She smiled softly, "Don't worry Daisuke, they'll be fine. My mother and Yuki Oji-san were on good terms with each other. Why can't you let loose for once?"_

"_Fine, fine… do what you want. The elders won't be too happy about it though."_

_ Rin stared out the window where, she was fully aware, the boys had escaped out of. "Those two will find a way to work it out." She tilted her head at Daisuke, "Contrary to what you say, those two have definite chemistry…"_

_ Meanwhile, the two boys had already made it to the park and were sitting under a large shady tree, where they had collapsed after running from the estate. Katsuya was sprawled out on his back with his arms and legs stretched out and Kaoru was sitting cross-legged with his hands resting on his knees._

_ After a few minutes, Kaoru pulled out a book and Katsuya rolled over to his side to face him._

"_What's that…?" Katsuya lazily pointed at the book in Kaoru's hand._

"_It's just an ani-manga that Akane-nee bought me…" Kaoru muttered as Katsuya got up and sat alongside him._

"_Awesome, I've been waiting for the new issue of ICHIBAN to come out." Katsuya smiled as he peered over Kaoru's shoulder._

"_Hmm," Katsuya stared intently at the art of the manga, "I've never seen this manga before. It's not ICHIBAN, that's for sure." He pointed to a picture of the main female protagonist. "She's pretty cute…!" Katsuya laughed. "She has red hair like me!"_

_ Kaoru nodded, "Yeah, she does, but her eyes are totally different from yours!" he said, noting Katsuya's grey eyes and the girl character's violet ones. "Her name's Koneko Ichikawa, she's probably gonna end up with the main guy: Kozue Hitsuyoumi." Kaoru's pointing finger moved from the girl's picture to a boy with hair in a similar style as Kaoru's._

_ Katsuya looked from the hair of the character to Kaoru's and the horse just smiled. "Ahh, I got my hair styled like his, cuz he's my favourite character."_

_Katsuya laughed, "Hmm, maybe you'll find your own Koneko-chan, right?"_

_ Kaoru shrugged, "Well, Koneko is pretty cute. The kind of cute you can only draw. I doubt any one in reality could compare."_

"_Someone has high standards…" Katsuya muttered, finally standing and pulling Kaoru to his feet. "Father and sensei are probably done now, so we can come back."_

"_If you say so…" Kaoru nodded, following Katsuya down the path that cut through the park and was lined with trees on either side._

"_These trees are huge!" Katsuya gaped, looking around, "They practically cover up the sun!"_

"_I know what you mean…" Kaoru nodded, "It's pretty much all green and brown everywhere you…" he trailed off as he noticed a red… something that stood out on the greenery of the trees around them. "W-what's that…?"_

"_Hmm…? What's what?" Katsuya spun to face Kaoru, who had already run off ahead. "Kaoru-kun, where'd you go?"_

_ Meanwhile, Kaoru had run straight to a tree off of the pathway where he had seen the red… whatever it was; and, being the horse, he ran there _much_ faster than Katsuya ever could._

_ When he reached the tree, he glanced up and searched for the red-thing he had seen. Maybe it was a balloon or some kind of paper that had gotten stuck - but whatever it was, he was intrigued to find it._

"_Hey…! Umm, is someone down there?"_

_A small voice startled Kaoru, who had assumed that he was all alone by the tree. "W-who…"_

"_O-oh, I'm sorry…" the voice continued. "I didn't mean to scare you or anything but… H-hey, I'm up here!"_

_ Kaoru looked up into the tree's unorganized mix of leaves and branches and found what he was looking for, (but definitely _not_ what he expected). A young girl with violet eyes and fiery red hair was sitting on a high-up branch and hugging the tree trunk like her life depended on it; and it probably did. Kaoru's eyes widened; this girl looked _exactly_ like the heroine from his ani-manga._

"_H-hey…!" Kaoru called up. "How'd you get up there?"_

"_I dunno." The girl answered, "I started climbing and climbing and I just ended up here…"_

"_Well can you get down?"_

_The girl made a face. "Do you think I'd still be up here if I knew how to get down?"_

_Kaoru laughed, "Ahh, you have a point there. Don't worry; I'll help you get down…"_

_ The girl smiled softly. "You have a nice smile." She told him, causing the young boy to blush slightly. He could definitely say the same about her._

_ Kaoru shook his head; even _if_ she resembled Koneko Ichikawa from his ani-manga, he had only _just_ met her. And besides, it's not like she was in the zodiac or the Sohma clan, so was there really a point?_

Yes.

_ He answered himself. What kind of person would leave someone, a girl no less, up in a tree with no hope of getting down? Curse or no curse, Kaoru wasn't about to leave her there._

"_S-so are you getting me down from here or what?" the girl called, snapping Kaoru out of his thoughts._

"_A-Ahh right…!" He looked up and stretched out his arms. "Jump and I'll catch you." He knew how this was going to end but, for some strange reason, he didn't really care about changing into an animal in front of her. All her cared about right now was saving this so-called "Koneko"._

"_A-are you sure?" The girl hesitated. "I-I'm kinda heavy."_

"_It's okay, I'm a guy… I'll catch you!"_

"_I-I don't know about…"_

**CRACK!**

"_A-Ahhhh…!"_

"_K-Koneko-chan…!"_

_ The branch the girl was sitting on suddenly gave way and snapped from underneath her. Kaoru ran, diving to catch the falling red-head and suddenly blacking out for a moment._

I've transformed, haven't I?_ Kaoru vaguely thought as his vision faded._

"_O-Oi… Are you alright?"_

_ Kaoru slowly opened his eyes, only to see an image of the girl hovering over him with a concerned expression. This was the closest he had ever seen her and, he could tell, she was the same age as him - and the same age as Koneko in his ani-manga._

_ Kaoru sat up as the girl moved away slightly and bowed her head. "I'm so sorry…! B-but thank you for breaking my fall! A-are you sure you're okay?"_

_ Kaoru rubbed his head; his mind not even registering the fact that he _hadn't_ transformed. He looked to the girl and smiled his genuine smile. "I'm fine, really…"_

_The girl smiled back. "Oh, I heard you call out 'Koneko-chan'…"_

_ Kaoru silently scolded himself. He had yelled Koneko-chan? How idiotic could he get? Koneko Ichikawa was fictional and, though this girl was the striking resemblance of her, she _wasn't_ and would _never_ be Koneko. The difference was: Kaoru had _admired_ Koneko Ichikawa but… being a nine-year-old, he could exactly admit it, but he _really liked_ this girl._

"_Sorry…" he muttered, but the girl simply shook her head._

"_Nah it's a cute name, the name of my favourite character in this ani-manga my mom bought for me once." She stared at Kaoru intently and then her beautiful violet eyes lit up. "Y-you look just like Kozue!"_

_ Kaoru was taken aback; what were the odds of them reading the same manga? He laughed, "Y-yeah, I asked my parents if I could…"_

"_Style your hair like his…? Yeah, I would've asked my mom, but I already had Koneko's hair." She laughed too. "In fact, my mom only bought me the ani-manga because I looked like her."_

"_I guess I'll call you Koneko-chan from now on." Kaoru joked._

"_Sure thing Kozue-kun!" she smiled._

_ Just then, she eyed something off to the side of Kaoru. "By the way, Kozue-kun, I think that book fell out of your pocket."_

"_Oh yeah," Kaoru turned and picked his ani-manga off of the grassy floor._

"_T-that's the latest issue!" _Koneko_ exclaimed._

_ Kaoru stood and helped her up to her feet before handing her the ani-manga. "You can borrow it, if you want. I finished reading it already…"_

_Her violet eyes were glowing as she stared at the ani-manga cover. "S-seriously…?"_

"_Yeah, next time I see you, you can give it back…"_

"_Awesome…!" She hugged the ani-manga to her chest. "You're the coolest Kozue-kun!"_

_ In that instant, she grazed her lips against Kaoru's cheek for the shortest of seconds. Kaoru's eyes widened and his face turned red._

Koneko_ took a step back and bowed. "Thank you so much, Kozue-kun! I hope I meet you again!" And, with that, she ran off, leaving the red-faced Kaoru behind._

_ He stood there for a good three minutes, before shaking his head and making his way back to the estate; his head still in the clouds (and _still_ not noticing that he _hadn't_ transformed)._

_ Before he stepped out of the forest, however, he gave one last glance back and muttered to the wind. "I hope I meet you again too… Koneko-chan…"_

"_Dude what took you so long?" Katsuya ranted after Kaoru had gotten back._

"_S-sorry, I got lost…"_

"_You suddenly disappeared, so I thought you already went back to the estate. But, you weren't here when I got here."_

"_I'm telling you, I got lost."_

_ Katsuya sighed, "Ahh well, whatever…" He looked at Kaoru for a moment and tilted his head. "Hey, where's that ani-manga you had with you?"_

"_I… uhh, must've dropped it or something. I got lost trying to find it."_

_ Katsuya nodded, "Well, _that_ makes a little more sense. Oh and, before I forget, you never _did_ get the chance to tell me your animal in the zodiac."_

"_The horse…" Kaoru answered. "I'm the horse…"_

_Katsuya thought for a second before shrugged, "No good… A lot of people won't like this."_

"_Won't like what…?"_

"_Us, being friends with each other…" Katsuya answered. "My dad told me that our animals have clashing personalities. But, I haven't clashed with you, have I?"_

_Kaoru shook his head, "No, we got along fine."_

"_Yeah, that's what I thought." Katsuya smiled, extending his hand. "Well Kaoru, the horse, shall we prove them wrong?"_

_ Kaoru smiled as he shook Katsuya's hand. "Yeah, let's prove them wrong. From now on, the rat and the horse can be friends."_

"_Y'know the elders are gonna hate this."_

"_Let them hate. We can be friends with whoever we want." Kaoru nodded, knowing the truth in his words. Not that they were going against the elders, but he and Katsuya would _definitely_ prove them wrong. Who says the horse and the rat can't be best friends?_

The zodiac…_ It rang in Kaoru's mind, even after he and Katsuya had finished training and called it a day. Kaoru had completely forgotten the zodiac while he was with _Koneko_._

I didn't transform…_ Kaoru noted. _She fell on me _and_ kissed me, and I didn't transform…_ He smiled before he went to bed that night._

Well, _he thought, _it wasn't like 'not-transforming' was a bad thing… and, neither was getting a kiss.

**A/N's: Hah. That was fun. I love the storyline in this chapter. So sorry about the late update but, as we all know, high school must start, and I must go… unfortunately. I'll try to get chapters out ever Friday, Saturday, or Sunday from now on - so that gives me lots of time to type and publish. (Although, if I can get it out earlier than that, don't get me wrong, I will - and I'll try to). Anyway, next chapter continues that climax that we all love, right? And, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I know I kinda focused more on Kaoru and Koneko, but I wanted to explain why everyone keeps bringing up Shoujo manga around him, (though, I think a nine-year-old boy in Japan would probably want a Shonen more than a Shoujo - but, Akane bought it for him so…).**

**I'm still kinda interested in everyone's favourite characters, some opinions on how I'm doing so far, and how you like the story so far. But, the only way to do that is to review so, yeah. I'll see you guys in the next chapter~! (^_^)**


	30. Gamer's Point of View

Chapter 29: Gamer's Point of View

Katsuya stared out into the pouring rain for a moment longer before turning to look at everyone. Akane had walked over to Ryusuke and the shamed Kyonosuke, who was getting an earful from the enraged dragon. Izuna and Kamina were huddled together along with Tohru's mother, the former shielding the other two with her body.

"How could you do it…?" Daisuke asked; his voice soft so that only Katsuya could hear.

Katsuya turned and looked to his father's tear-stained face. "The cat doesn't belong here father… When she wasn't here, everything was better. She'd been living out of the estate this whole time, so it's not like she'll be missed."

**SLAP**

Everyone in the room stared at the feuding father and son pair.

"F-father…" Katsuya muttered, holding his bruised cheek. "W-what…?"

"Not be missed…?" Daisuke exclaimed. "You think that she won't be missed? Take a look around Katsuya! Take a good look at everyone's faces and tell me again that she won't be missed!"

Katsuya's eyes flared. "But Father, that cat _killed_ mother!"

"Haven't I already explained that to you? Tohru-chan is…"

"Y-you're wrong…!" Katsuya yelled. "That cat is NOT my sister and my mother is dead because of her!"

Daisuke looked angrily at his son for a moment longer, and then sighed. "Fine, I won't tell you…" He looked off at something behind Katsuya. "I'll let someone else tell you…"

"K-Katsuya-kun…?"

Katsuya turned and, when he saw what his father meant, he took a step back in shock. "N-no…"

A woman, with deep red hair and tear-filled grey eyes that matched his, stood before him and Katsuya shook his head. "No… no… NO!"

"Katsuya-kun…" the woman repeated, trying to muster a smile. "Y-you've grown so much…"

"I-it can't be…!" Katsuya took another step back. "You're that cat's mother!"

"Katsuya-kun…" she said again. "I-I'm sorry…"

Katsuya's eyes filled with tears. "N-no… you're not. You can't be…!"

Tohru's mother began to cry again. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" she said over and over again.

Katsuya could only shake his head; he was confused. His father couldn't possible be right, could he? Could this woman, whom he was _sure_ was Tohru's mother, be _his_ as well? His thoughts were interrupted, however, by the padding of feet coming down the hallway.

"W-we heard an explosion and came running!" Torahku exclaimed, bursting into the room with Sarutoubi and the three girls.

"Idiots…!" Akane yelled, "Why did you bring the girls here?"

Sarutoubi scanned the room silently; the black and white beads strewn out on the floor, the gaping hole that framed the deep forest outside, the _lack _of Tohru and Kaoru in the room, Katsuya standing with his father and, Sarutoubi knew, mother - it all drew one conclusion.

"No…" he muttered, turning straight to Akane. "Akane-nee… K-Katsuya didn't…"

All Akane could do was nod.

"I-Izuna-nee-sama, Kami-nii…!" Kana called out. "W-what happened?"

Himemiya clutched the side of Torahku's shirt in fear and the tiger put his arm around her. "It's alright Miya-chan… don't worry."

Haruhi walked straight to Katsuya, who was still in complete confusion. "K-Katsu-nii… what happened…?"

Katsuya slowly turned. "H-Haru-chan…"

Tears were starting to form in the young cow's eyes. "W-where's Tohru-nee-sama?"

"Yes Katsuya," Daisuke said aloud, "Why don't you tell young Haruhi that Tohru is long gone…?"

"G-gone…?" Haruhi choked.

Katsuya grimaced; his father was making this hard for him and he was too confused to think clearly. What was he supposed to say?

"What do you mean _gone,_ Daisuke Oji-san?" Kana asked from across the room.

Izuna put a hand on Kana's head and tried to explain. "T-Tohru nee-chan is…"

"She ran out that way, didn't she?" Torahku suddenly exclaimed as Sarutoubi face-palmed. Sometimes that tiger was just a little too outspoken.

"Out there…?" Kana gaped. "We have to go after her!"

"Do you see what you did, Katsuya Onii-san?" Izuna yelled.

Katsuya's eyes widened as Haruhi took a step back, shaking her head. "K-Katsu-nii… y-you did this?"

"H-Haru-chan… I…"

Haruhi gulped, taking more steps back. A vaguely familiar feeling took over her entire body and she felt herself completely loose control.

"She's going black…!" Sarutoubi yelled.

Tears formed in Haruhi's eyes, showing the last of her white side before the black completely took over. "I… I…" She looked straight at Katsuya. "You broke your promise…!" she yelled before running out of the hole Tohru had created.

"Haru-chan, wait up!" Kana called out, running after her. "We have to find Tohru-nee-sama! Hime-chan, let's go!"

"G-guys…" Himemiya muttered as she began to tug at Torahku's shirt until he was forced to pick her up and run after the other two girls.

"I'll bring them back…!" Torahku called out before he disappeared into the thick of the forest.

"Haruhi…" Katsuya said softly, staring back out at the hole where the girls and Torahku had run through.

"Do you still think that she won't be missed, Katsuya?" said Daisuke. "No matter what you think, Tohru is your sister and Hitomi," he gestured to Tohru (and Katsuya's) mother, "is your mother."

Katsuya's gaze dropped to the floor for a moment before he suddenly bolted out of the room in the way he had come. His thoughts were clouded and he was more confused than he had ever been. All he wanted to do was run and never come back, and not even training could fix it this time. Haruhi hated him, the family had lost all respect for him, and there was still the possibility of Tohru being his sister - he was at a complete loss.

Just as Katsuya had run out of the room, Kyonosuke gave one last apologetic look at Izuna before shaking loose of Ryusuke's grip and giving chase to the rat.

"Katsuya-nii…!" he yelled after him.

"Aren't you going to stop him?" Akane wondered.

Ryusuke stared hard at where Kyonosuke and Katsuya had exited. "He has made his decision and now he must carry it through…"

Akane nodded. "Got it…"

Daisuke turned to face Hitomi. "I'm going out to help find Tohru…"

She kissed him on the cheek before he ran off through the hole. "Be careful…" After he ran off, she walked over to Izuna and sat alongside her.

Izuna looked down at her frightened little brother. "Hey Kamina, how're you doing?"

He looked up slightly. "W-what happened to Tohru-nee-san?"

"Everyone's out looking for her." She tried her hardest to smile. "D-don't worry though, we'll find her." She looked around the room before turning back to her little brother. "Hitomi Oba-chan is going to take care of you while I go look for Tohru-nee-chan, okay?"

"O-okay…" Kamina nodded as Izuna got up and Hitomi took her place.

Izuna walked over to Akane. "Akane Onee-sama, what are we going to do?"

Akane opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Sarutoubi. "Okay, listen up!" he called out. "We need a plan and we need one quick. How I see it, we've got most of the family out there looking for Tohru-chan, but the speed at which her new form travels, counting the fact that her cat form doesn't function well in rain; it'll _still_ be a wonder if any of them find her. We should be focusing on rounding up the rest of the family, especially the three girls. Kana-chan and Haru-chan move pretty quickly, since they're still young. Torahku is fast on his own, but Hime-chan will slow his movement down a lot. Izuna-chan and my animal have a higher mobility, so we'll go after Kana-chan and Haru-chan. Ryusuke-nii and Akane-nee will have to go after Torahku and Hime-chan; but this'll only work if you're all with me."

Izuna gaped, since when was Sarutoubi so… _decisive_? She looked at Akane, who had a thin green eyebrow raised.

"How interesting, Sarutoubi-kun…" Akane nodded. "Count me in."

"I'm in, of course…" Ryusuke added as he, Akane and Sarutoubi looked expectantly at Izuna.

"O-oh, yeah, I'm in too." She answered, filled with much more respect for Sarutoubi than she had previously. "Oh, but umm… What about Tohru nee-chan?"

Sarutoubi's calculating look made a quick transition to his usual playful smile. "It's just like a video game, you've gotta leave it to the main character to save the maiden, right?" He smile softened as he stared out of the hole. "And besides, I trust Uma-kun's judgement…" He nodded to the three of them. "We agree to leave it to Kaoru, right?"

The three nodded in agreement as Sarutoubi led them out of the hole and into the forest and the pouring rain.

_Save her Kaoru Onii-san,_ Izuna's mind pleaded, _you have to save Tohru nee-chan._

"We'll go off in this direction, you guys take the east side, got it?" Sarutoubi called. "We'll bring them all back!"

"Who knew you had it in you, Sarutoubi-kun?" she smiled, before running off with Ryusuke in the other direction.

Sarutoubi saw them off, and then turned to Izuna. "Are you ready?"

Izuna nodded with determination as she and Sarutoubi ran off as well. "Let's go. We'll bring them all back."

Meanwhile, Akane and Ryusuke were walking in the direction they were given. "Hmph," Ryusuke scoffed.

Akane looked to him. "You knew about Sarutoubi all along, didn't you?"

"Maybe…" he shrugged.

Akane looked around. "We used to play here with Kyonosuke-kun and Izu-chana; didn't we?"

"Yeah…" Ryusuke smiled faintly as the two continued walking. "This is where Kyon fell out of that tree when we were younger."

"And, Hatsuharu Oji-sama saved him." Akane nodded. "He and Isuzu Oba-sama loved bringing us out here." She stopped walked to look around a little more. "It's amazing how rain can change the scenery so quickly."

"C'mon keep walking," Ryusuke called her over. "You forget that the circumstances have changed as well. Back then, we came out here for fun; but there are lives on the line now."

"Can you believe Kyonosuke-kun did that to Tohru-chan?"

"Actually, yes…" He looked to Akane. "You don't remember my little experiment?"

"Oh…" she half-laughed, "_that…_ Maybe it would've been better if Kao-chan got to him before Katsuya-kun."

"Probably…"

Akane smiled; since Ryusuke was one of the only people who could get her to. Despite what Kyonosuke thinks, Ryusuke was the kindest older brother anyone would ever find. She recalled the day when her dragon comrade had started his little 'experiment' with extreme clarity.

**(Takes place in Gaiden 3)**

"_Ryusuke, what was that?" Akane sighed as the two sat together at dinner. Kyonosuke had already stormed up into his room, after Akane had innocently brought up Izuna in their conversation; or lack thereof, in this case. "Kyonosuke-kun's gonna hate you at this rate."_

_He chuckled to himself. "It's alright, he already does…"_

_ Akane intertwined her fingers and rested her chin on them with her head tilted slightly to the right. "I forget why you're doing this again."_

"_Don't you recall the day in the forest when Kyon fell from the tree?"_

"_What's the big deal? Hatsuharu Oji-sama saved him."_

"_Yes, but Kyon cried for three days following that." Ryusuke sighed, "And, when Oji-sama and Oba-sama died, he cried for a straight week."_

"_Ahh, but that week would've been shortened to three days, had you been nicer to him."_

"_I was confused then." Ryusuke explained. "It's entirely my fault that Kyon hates me. But, it's fine now."_

"_Kyonosuke-kun still needs an older brother though…" Akane noted, "If he doesn't have you, who does he turn to?"_

_ Ryusuke smiled, "That's already been decided. For nearly a month now, I sent Katsuya-kun and Kaoru-kun to look after Kyon."_

"_Kao-chan I'm fine with, but isn't it risky to throw Katsuya-kun into the mix?"_

"_It's a small experiment I'm conducting. Will Kyonosuke affect Katsuya and Kaoru, or will it be the opposite? Or, maybe only one of them will affect him?"_

"_What if Katsuya is that _one_?"_

"_When that time comes, it'll be Kyon's choice… not mine."_

The two walked on and, though slightly lost in their nostalgia, never strayed from the task at hand: Torahku and Himemiya needed to be found.

"You're worried…" Ryusuke remarked.

"Am not…" Akane refused.

Ryusuke put a hand on her head and leaned her in a little close to him as they continued to walk. "You can trust Kaoru… He loves Tohru, after all."

Akane smiled, not even noticing how close she was walking to Ryusuke. "Clearly…"

**A/N's: This is kind of like a half-Gaiden/half-present chapter, and this will be the new style of Gaidens for the rest of the story (so no more whole-chapter Gaidens). I'll alternate between Izuna and Sarutoubi's search and Akane and Ryusuke's search for maybe three more chapters and, when they find everyone, I'll lead it into Kaoru, Michiko and Daisuke's search for Tohru. (So, just imagine that the chapters are all happening at the same sort of time period). Well, this was a fast update - hopefully compensating for the slow update from last chapter. Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying the story and I (seriously) look forward to reviews because they're the only thing that tells me how I'm doing with this story. See you in the (hopefully fast-updated) chapter! **


	31. Optimism Can't Heal A Heart

Chapter 30: Optimism Can't Heal A Heart

_ I have to ask him… _Izuna hadn't stopped thinking about it since they ran off from the estate. "S-Sarutoubi-nii…"

He turned to face her and smirked, "You're wondering if I've always been like this, aren't you?"

Izuna gaped. "U-uhh, well…"

The monkey smiled, making his hand into the form of a gun and winking as he "shot" at Izuna. "You're painfully honest, if you don't mind me saying, and _that_ makes your usual habits easy to read, which include your surface thoughts."

"O-oh, sorry…" _Why was she apologizing?_ It was so strange to see the, usually scatterbrained, Sarutoubi acting like this; Izuna was completely confused. And the fact that pretty much _all_ of the family was either lost, searching, or transformed into a monster (in Tohru's case), wasn't helping her confusion much either.

"B-but… Have you always been like this?"

He shrugged, "Of course I have. If a seemingly smart person ends up being dumb, you'll assume that they're dumb, right?"

Izuna nodded.

"So, naturally speaking, if a seemingly dumb person ends up being smart, you immediately assume that they're smart, right?"

"I guess so." Something suddenly popped into Izuna's head and she opened her mouth to verbalize but Sarutoubi beat her to it.

He turned his back to her, concealing his smirk, as they went on walking in the rain, which was pounding harder than ever. "Don't worry yourself; I don't have any _ulterior motives_ or _hidden secrets_ or anything like that."

"So why do you do it?"

"Because life's more fun that way…!" he answered almost instantaneously.

Izuna was taken aback by the answer for a moment. "S-so… _that's_ why you hide it from everyone?"

"The only people who knew about me before were Torahku and, I suspected, Ryusuke-nii."

"I fail to see the fun in this little façade of yours."

"I had a similar conversation with Torahku, back in the day." His smirk turned into a nostalgic smile as he quoted himself. _"Where's the fun in everyone knowing the real you? You're like the final boss in a video game that no one can beat."_

"Oh…" Izuna finally understood. "_You're_ one of the members who need healing." Izuna pursed her lips. "Although… since Tohru-nee-chan's nowhere around, I think I can heal you instead."

Sarutoubi spun around. "As smart as I am, I'm also slightly confused at your words, Inu-chan."

_I can heal someone, set their mindset straight,_ Izuna thought, _just like Akane Onee-sama did for me with Kyon… It's my turn, Akane Onee-sama._

"You're right, Sarutoubi Nii-san, as smart as you are - you don't really get it, do you?"

Sarutoubi's eyebrow rose as Izuna walked alongside him, continuing. "You _could_ be right in the sense that it's fun to live a life where nobody knows the real you, but I don't think that's your _real_ reason."

"How interesting, go on…"

"Maybe you're just blocking everyone out."

Sarutoubi's intrigued expression made a quick change into a genuinely confused one as Izuna went on. "Your intelligence is definitely beyond mine; that's something I certainly can't disagree with. However, if you don't mind _me_ saying, I think I'm well-versed in certain topics that you aren't quite as familiar with."

Izuna hoped she was going about this the right way. She was trying to put this into the kind of wording that Sarutoubi would understand. _What would Akane do? What would Tohru do?_ she thought. They'd give their opinion from either their own experience, like Tohru had done for Himemiya, or logical observation, which was more up Akane's alley. Izuna smirked. She had both methods up her sleeve. All that was left was the verbalization.

"And what topics would these be?" Sarutoubi questioned.

"Something more than observing personality and character traits…" Izuna smiled softly, looking up at the sky as they continued walking. "I'm talking about heart… soul… inner-workings that can only be accessed by someone other than yourself, someone who knows you better than you know yourself."

The young 'wolf' paused for a moment, and then sighed. _I don't think I'm the one who can heal him after all. Obviously I don't know him better than he knows himself; I've only discovered his new personality a matter of minutes ago._

She looked over to Sarutoubi and gaped slightly. She had never seen him stare so intensely before. Never, even when he was acting scatterbrained, had he shown so much interest and longing than right now. He was hanging onto every word she said; possibly because she was the first to really see through him - or try at least - but, she couldn't give him an answer.

The two had stopped walking for a moment; Izuna was busy searching his expression for some sort of cue, and Sarutoubi was waiting for the words that never came. They stood still for a moment longer before Sarutoubi scoffed lightly and smirked.

Izuna was taken aback as she tilted her head in confusion.

"I take it… you're not the one who'll give me the answer I'm waiting for…"

Izuna's eyebrows furrowed; he hadn't been waiting for her explanation, but was merely reading her expression just as much as she was reading his.

She opened her mouth to apologize (again), but was stopped short as the monkey stuck his hands in his pockets and began walking ahead.

"Its fine…" he muttered as Izuna ran to catch up. "I'm sure someone will be able to, someday…"

"Maybe today, even…!" Izuna offered, looking to the sky once more. Her optimistic smile faded slightly at the sight of the grey rain clouds. "O-once the rain lets up." _And after Kao-nii saves Tohru Nee-sama_, she added mentally.

Seemingly reading her thoughts again, Sarutoubi chirped, "So, you think Uma-kun can save Neko-chan, after all?"

"O-of course he'll save her! You said it yourself, didn't you?"

"So I did…"

"Don't you trust Kao-nii?"

"Yeah, I trust him. But, and he knows this quite well, something has changed since the last time the cat transformed; something that could completely throw off his ability to change Neko-chan back to normal."

"I-is there such a thing?" Izuna was getting worried.

"I'm afraid there is…"

"W-what is it? Can it be stopped?" _Tohru Nee-chan _must_ return!_ Izuna's mind screamed.

Sarutoubi was silent for a long while as the two continued on in the rain, which was the only thing audible, save the squishing of their shoes against the wet forest bed.

"It's the zodiac itself…" Sarutoubi muttered after awhile. "The curse that has plagued the Sohma clan since… well, who really knows?"

"What does the zodiac have to…? O-oh…!" she exclaimed. It had come to her instantly, and without warning.

Sarutoubi nodded slowly. "Yeah, back then… the first Tohru wasn't in the zodiac, so when she hugged Kyo Oji-san…"

"He reverted back to a cat…" Izuna continued hesitantly. "B-but, that means Kao-nii can't…"

"How interesting…" the monkey said to the wind.

Izuna looked at his face, but his expression was the furthest thing from interest. It looked solemn, lost, and ultimately unfeeling as he uttered, "This must be the final level… the final boss… I hope our hero's ready…"

Izuna couldn't quite understand, but her older cousin's expression made her heart sink further than it had ever gone. She knew she needed to cheer him up, but how? Unfortunately, she couldn't tell him what he wanted to hear the most, but couldn't she think of something else, anything else?

"D-don't worry Sarutoubi Nii-san, if we round up everyone in the family fast enough, I think we'll be a strong enough party to help Kao-nii against he final boss…"

Sarutoubi smiled at her, as if he was the older brother Izuna wished she had. "Then we'd better hurry, right Inu-chan?"

"Yeah…!" she nodded as she ran up ahead, now completely filled with determination.

Sarutoubi's smile softened as he ran after the spirited 'wolf'. "But what should we do…" he said to himself, "…if the final boss if Neko-chan herself?"

**A/N's: Yes, it was a short chapter and a long update, (which is my least favourite combination, and I assume it's yours too). I've made it so that Akane is kind of like Izuna's older sister, and Sarutoubi is her older brother - like how Izuna is Akane's younger sister and Kaoru is her younger brother. (So, everyone's interrelated in some way or another). Overall, I liked this chapter because it was my two favourite characters playing off of each other. Sarutoubi admires Izuna's strength and optimism (since, being so intelligent - he tends to look to the down side of most things). And, Izuna has taken an admiration to Sarutoubi's intellect and quick-thinking. I love how Sarutoubi refers to everything in terms of a video game and how Izuna just loves to make people smile. Anyway, next two chapters will be Torahku and Himemiya, and then Haruhi and Kana. See you in the next chapter, and don't forget to review! (^_^)**


	32. Branches of Memories

Chapter 31: Branches of Memories

"_H-hey Kana-chan, wait up for us!"_

"_Right, right… sorry! Look, I can see the fort, it's right there!"_

"_Kana-chan, slow down…!"_

"_C'mon! C'mon! We're so close!"_

"Tch…" Kana scoffed, as she ran through yet another pile of twigs, mud and leaves. Her legs were already caked with forest gunk, but she had to keep on running.

"Looks like I'm chasing _you_ this time, Haru-chan…" she muttered, looking ahead to the long black stream of hair with white tips that was flailing out in front of her, glistening wet from the rain and spraying Kana every time it swayed a certain way.

"Haruhi…!" Kana yelled after her.

"Get away from me!" the black-turned cow sniped back.

Though her gaze was set on her best friend, Kana couldn't help but notice the scenery in her peripheral vision. She knew this place well, but the last time they were all here together, it had been sunnier, happier, and better.

"_Things were different then…"_ Kana mentally noted, remembering all the times when they played in this very forest.

"_Thing change…"_

The three of them used to come here all the time with Kyonosuke, Izuna and Torahku; and sometimes Katsuya would hang around too, Kana recalled.

"_Well," Kyonosuke sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and stared up to admire their work. "That just about does it…"_

"_Check it out Kana-chan!" Izuna exclaimed as the two over-energetic girls buzzed around the new tree house._

_ Kyonosuke smiled tiredly at Katsuya, who shrugged in return, before giving Haruhi a light push on the back. "Go on now, Haru-chan…"_

"_This is really ours…?"_

_ Katsuya rolled his eyes. "No Haru-chan, we all just felt like working really hard on a tree fort for a week, just for the heck of it." He laughed sarcastically._

_Haruhi's face lit up as she scrambled up the ladder after the other two girls._

"_Miya-chan…" Torahku put a hand on the shoulder of the young girl hiding behind him. "We're finished now… Take a look."_

_Himemiya poked her head out from behind Torahku and her eyes widened. "I-is this it…?"_

_ Torahku smiled softly as he took her hand and helped her up the ladder. "Go on, have some fun with the others."_

"_Alright, check it out! Hime-chan's here too now!" Izuna laughed as the four girls played in the fort._

"_Oi, oi Izuna," Kyonosuke called, half-laughing. "That fort's for the three, not you…"_

_ Izuna poked her head out the window and cutely stuck her tongue out at the boar. "Come up here and stop me then, Kyon!"_

Kana couldn't stop the slight smile that bubbled up from inside, even considering the circumstances of why she was here now. But, her reverie was short-lived; after all, there was a reason why they never came back here.

"_H-Haru-chan… Look out!" Kana exclaimed._

_**SNAP**_

"_A-Ahh…!"_

"_Haru-chan…!" Himemiya yelled._

_**THUD**_

"_K-Katsuya-nii…?"_

"_Haru-chan, are you alright?"_

_ Haruhi nodded slowly. A minute ago, she had stepped on a half-broken branch by the tree-fort and was plummeting to the ground, and the next, she was in Katsuya's arms._

"_Haru-chan…!" Kana called from her place up in the tree._

"_Don't worry!" Haruhi called out, "Katsu-nii caught me!"_

"_Good…!" Kana replied. "But, where's Hime-chan?"_

"_Huh…? She's up there with you!"_

"_No, she jumped after you…"_

_ Haruhi's eyes widened at the realization. "H-Hime-chan…!" she exclaimed, her limbs flailing until Katsuya put her down._

_ As quickly as possible, the young rooster had descended from the tree and was on the ground looking for Himemiya, along with Katsuya and Haruhi._

"_Hime-chan…!" Kana called. "Where are you?"_

"_Hime-chan, can you hear us?" Haruhi yelled._

"_W-wait… Shh," Katsuya's ears perked up and the two girls fell silent. "You hear that?"_

_ A small whimpering sound, barely audible, was coming from behind a bush. Katsuya slowly walked over to it, the two girls inching close behind. As the rat moved the shrubbery, Haruhi averted her eyes and Kana resisted the urge to scream._

_ Sure, they were all part of the zodiac, but they had NEVER seen a real transformation. "H-Hime-chan…" Haruhi muttered. "This is my fault."_

_ She moved closer to the half-conscious sheep-turned-girl and hesitantly put a hand on her head, stroking the fluff that had become of her body._

_ Katsuya silently walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Haru-chan, are you alright?"_

_ Kana scanned the scene once more before stepping in and placing a hand on Haruhi's other shoulder. "Hime-chan's really strong…" she told her. "She'll be alright."_

"Yeah," Kana nodded, thinking to herself. "I remember that day… Tarumi-san got mad at Torahku-nii, and Izuna-nee-sama and Kyon-kun never brought us back there again. Hime-chan stayed at home for nearly a month. That was when we all played inside." She smiled bitterly. "It was raining when we were bringing Hime-chan back too…"

Still chasing the fleeing cow, it was then that Kana noticed and yelled out. "Stop Haru-chan…! You really have to stop!"

"Why are you still following me? Why can't you just stay away?"

"Can you at least tell me what you're going to do? Are you just going to keep running until we reach the cliff where Tohru Oba-chan…?" she trailed off. Whatever Haruhi's answer was, Kana knew she wasn't going to like it.

Haruhi abruptly stopped running and Kana did the same. She stared a hole into the back of her best friend, who was exclaiming. "Why do you care what happens to me? Katsu-nii doesn't care! _Nobody_ cares! They all just expect me to be _exactly_ like Hatsuharu Oji-san, teaching me all of these martial arts that I don't want to learn! All _anyone_ ever cares about is the zodiac!"

"That's not true…!' Kana tried to explain. "Me, Hime-chan… Izuna-nee-sama, Kyon-kun, Tohru-nee-sama… We all care about each other!"

_Haru-chan…_ Kana had to wonder, _is this because you've turned black? Or is this how you've always felt?_

"That's a lie…!" Haruhi yelled, "The only reason all of us met was because of the zodiac! I **hate** the zodiac! I wish it never existed! But, if it didn't…" Kana could hear her friend's voice crack, "I would be all alone…"

Kana stayed silent because, one, she couldn't find the words to say, and two, she had suddenly realized where they were standing… and what was about to happen if she didn't do something.

"H-Haru-chan… I know you're kind of angry but…" Kana's gaze nervously drifted higher up the tree that Haruhi was standing in front of.

Weather-beat and worn, their tree-fort would give way any day… any minute now. All it needed was a little rumble and that pile of wood and nails would come crashing down… on Haruhi.

Kana bit her lip; she knew Haruhi's tendency when the cow got agitated. _It just _had_ to be punching a wall, didn't it?_ her mind screamed the words Kana couldn't say.

"I hate this curse…!" Kana could see Haruhi's fist balling as she wound up for a punch. "Katsu-nii loves it! Izuna-nee-sama doesn't care! Tohru-nee-sama doesn't know! Who am I supposed to follow?"

Kana's mouth was open, but the only sounds audible were the pounding of the rain and the hollow thud that echoed around them when Haruhi's strong fist came into contact with the bark of the tree.

But the deafening silence didn't last as long as Kana hoped.

Creaking of wood, quiet at first, but getting louder with each second, was sounding off on top of Haruhi, who was too angered to notice and was winding up for another punch to the old tree.

Kana couldn't let this happen. Images of every single day she spent with Haruhi and Himemiya, Izuna and Kyonosuke and Kamina, Torahku, Sarutoubi, Tohru, and _everyone_ flashed through the young girl's head as she rushed at her friend and restrained her before her punch could make contact; in a position, though the two wouldn't ever know, very similar to how Katsuya held Tohru back only moments before.

"Please stop this, Haru-chan…!" Kana yelled as Haruhi tried to fight back.

"Let go…! Let me go…!"

Kana was already crying the tears, which she was surprised she was holding in all this time. "Please Haru-chan… at least take a look at what you're doing, where you are!"

The creaking of the rickety tree house was getting louder and louder, and Kana knew that it was just a matter of minutes, maybe seconds.

_Yep, definitely seconds._

**CRASH!**

"Haruhi, look out…!" Kana screamed as she shielded the confused young girl with her body and tried to jump out of the way.

…

…

…

"K-Kana-chan…?"

White Haruhi was the first to come to, and she awoke to a horrifying sight. The tree fort, their sanctuary, was crushed, destroyed and nothing more than a pile of nails and soaking wet wood.

The minute Haruhi saw red underneath one of those planks of woods, her heart nearly stopped. She inched closer and relief swept through her as she remembered the colour of Kana's hair.

She pushed the, thankfully very light, plank off of her friend and knelt down next to her. Hesitantly, her hand reached out and touched Kana's hand.

_Still warm, still alive…_

"K-Kana-chan…?" Haruhi whispered.

No response. The rooster's body remained unmoving.

"K-Kana…!" Haruhi exclaimed as she turned her onto her back. Kana's faze was covered in dirt and there was a horizontal cut on her cheek. "Kana," Haruhi shook her friend by the shoulders, "A-are you still with me?"

"O…"

"Ehh…?" Haruhi let go of her shoulders as the injured young girl slowly opened her eyes.

Tears streamed down Haruhi's face as Kana brought a hand up to her cut and eyeing the small amount of blood that blossomed and spread to her fingers. She looked to her crying friend and smiled not unlike a tired hero that just finished slaying the dragon and, though getting horrible injured, saved the princess.

"O-of course… I'm… with you…" Kana muttered. "The question is… are you with me… Haruhi…?"

Haruhi nodded, tears still flowing as she clutched onto Kana's hand and brought it up to her cheek.

"G… good…" Tears flowed out of Kana's eyes, but her heroic smile never faded. "A good leader… needs her right-hand-girl… at all times… right?"

"Yeah Kana…" Haruhi cried. "Yeah…"

The two sat in content silence until: "K…"

"What was that…?" Kana asked as Haruhi helped her sit up.

Haruhi shrugged. "It… it wasn't me…"

"Kana-chan…! Haru-chan…!" Izuna exclaimed as she ran over to the two girls.

"Izuna-nee-smph…!" Kana and Haruhi, just like the rest of their sentence, were suddenly caught and muffled in a hug by the 'wolf' of the zodiac.

"Thank Kamina, you guys are alright…!" Izuna exclaimed as she pulled out of the hug to look at them. "You _are_ alright now, right Haruhi?"

Haruhi nodded, so Izuna turned to Kana and gasped sharply. "K-Kana, you're bleeding…!"

"It's fine Nee-sama…" Kana assured her. "It's just a small cut…"

"You're joking, right?" Izuna tore some fabric from the bottom of her shirt and hysterically tried to tie it around the confused rooster's head.

"I think a band-aid would work better, don't you, Inu-chan?" Sarutoubi piped up; no one (save Izuna, who had been walking with him) noticing that he was even standing there. "Not thinking quite straight, are you?" he laughed as he pulled a band-aid from his pocket and knelt down to gently plaster it on Kana's cheek.

"Thanks Sarutoubi-nii…" Kana smiled up at him.

He smirked, giving her a thumbs-up. "No prob, it makes you look tough…"

Izuna's mind was clouded; she was still trying to overcome the giant wave of relief that the two girls were okay, so much so that, as Sarutoubi put it, she wasn't thinking straight at all.

She turned to Haruhi quickly. "How about you, Haru…?"

"I… I think I'm okay…" She tried to stand, but lasted a good three seconds before Sarutoubi quickly caught her from falling.

"I think not…" he nodded as he knelt back down and cradled her so that Haruhi could inspect her leg.

Izuna's face twisted as she held rubbed Haruhi's left leg and watched to cow grimace in pain. "Fractured…" Izuna muttered.

"What does that mean…?" Kana chirped, though it fell on deaf ears.

"How can you tell?" asked Sarutoubi.

"K… Kyonosuke," Izuna said at just an audible level to the three others. "He fell out of a tree when we were kids. Hatsuharu Oji-san saved him but… his leg… it was fractured." She forced a bitter smile to Haruhi. "You're way stronger than him, Haru. Kyon…" her voice broke, "_Kyonosuke_ cried right when it happened. What a baby, right?"

"I-Izuna-nee-sama…?" Haruhi said quietly.

"Yeah Haru…?"

"Is…" Tears began flowing out of both Haruhi and Kana's eyes. "Is it okay for us to cry now?"

Izuna put her hands on Kana and Haruhi's shoulders as a lone tear dropped from her eye as well. "Yeah, we're girls… so we cry way more, right Sarutoubi-nii?"

The monkey smiled knowingly and nodded in agreement before silently lifting Haruhi up onto his back. Izuna wiped her tears and smiled proudly at Kana before doing the same.

When everyone had settled down, the two young girls fell fast asleep on their older cousins' backs.

Sarutoubi kicked a piece of fallen wood to reveal a wrinkled and wet piece of Tanabata wish paper. Izuna bent to pick it up and tearfully smiled when she got a look at it.

"Isn't this that tree-fort you guys made for them awhile back?"

"Yeah," Izuna nodded, "We didn't let them come back after Hime-chan got injured." She laughed dryly. "Not that Tarumi-chan would've let us, anyway…"

"Did you take down the tree-fort after Hitsuji-chan got injured?" (*hitsuji=sheep*)

Izuna shook her head. "We just left it as is. Looks like weather took its toll, huh?"

"Yeah…"

Sarutoubi was silent for a moment as he stared at all of the fallen wood. Unbeknownst to Izuna, Sarutoubi could piece together what had transpired between the rooster and the cow. And his deduction, as he knew, wasn't that far off from the real thing.

_ Haruhi must've punched the tree enough to shake-up the tree fort and send it crashing down. Kana pushed her out of the way, cutting herself on the cheek and landing on Haruhi's leg in the process, fracturing it._

He turned to face the young 'wolf', who was staring wistfully at the piece of paper she had retrieved from the rubble.

"Time to face the final boss…"

She gave him a sideways glance and smirk. "Do you think the rest of our party is ready?"

"Hopefully…" He nodded as he began walking ahead.

Izuna gave one last glance at the piece of paper that had _"I'll become a great leader like Izuna-nee-sama one day!"_ written in Kana's crude five-year-old handwriting, before crumpling it up and dropping it on the ground.

"You don't need wishes like this anymore Kana…" she told the sleeping girl on her back, "when they've already come true…"

**A/N's: Okay, I'm not sure how great or horrible (probably horrible) I am at writing emotional parts so, in other words, I'm not sure how this chapter turned out. Just in case you didn't know, on the Japanese festival of Tanabata (July 7), people write their wishes on thin strips of coloured paper and tie them to a plant (saw it on Haruhi Suzumiya and read up about it on Wiki). This chapter kinda counts as Haruhi and Kana's separate Gaiden and, as I said before, this is the new format for the next few Gaiden chapters; just so I can get the story moving and you don't have to wait out a chapter to find out what happens to Tohru and everyone. Anyway, next up is Torahku, Himemiya, Akane, and Ryusuke; (though I might add a little part focusing on Katsuya, Kyonosuke and the others back at the estate, just so we know what they're up to). I'm glad I got to put up two chapters this weekend and I'll try and work on faster updates (with school going on). I'm looking forward to some reviews to tell me how I did on this chapter, especially, since I haven't really gotten the hang of emotional or really serious chapters (or maybe I have, I honestly don't know). Well, I've talked for long enough so, I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	33. Clues Leading to What?

Chapter 32: Clues Leading to What?

"Th… This is…!"

"Hmm…?" Himemiya stirred on Torahku's back. "What is it, Tora-nii?"

Torahku stared hard at the pile of wooden rubble, drenched with rain. "I could've sworn I heard voices down here but… This can't really be…?"

Himemiya poked her head out from behind him and gasped. "O-our tree house…!" She kicked her legs out and as soon as Torahku placed her on the ground, she made a mad-dash for the newly-destroyed tree fort.

Torahku bit his lip; this place always stirred up bad memories for him. After all, this tree fort was the reason that he lost the, small as it was, bit of pride and trust that Tarumi had for him.

"_You let Hime drop from a tree? What the hell is wrong with you?" Tarumi yelled._

"_I-I'm sorry…! I left Katsuya-kun to take care of them when Sarutoubi called me over." The poor, young tiger tried to explain._

"_I was already pissed with the fact that you were taking Hime to the forest everyday, but now she's transformed! This is all, your fault!"_

"_C-calm down Tarumi-chan, she'll transform back to her regular self in no time… And she's thankfully not injured at all. You should be happy."_

"_Happy…?" the overprotective sister exclaimed. "You expect me to be happy about my younger sister, the only family I have left, falling out of a tree - because _YOU_ weren't around?"_

"_It won't happen again!"_

"_You're right, it won't!" She grunted, "I can't tell you to get lost, cuz Hime would cry… So, I'll just say that she's never allowed back into that forest!"_

Torahku sighed at a sudden realization. If Tarumi found out that Himemiya was with him _right now,_ in the forest she had expressly forbade them from entering - Torahku would be in some deep trouble.

"Tora-nii…!"

Torahku was already accustomed to hearing Himemiya's faint calls, as quiet as they were. "Yeah Miya-chan?" he asked, walking over and crouching down beside her.

Himemiya showed him a torn piece of damp cloth. "This is from Izuna-nee-san's shirt, which means they were here, right?"

"Uhh yeah…" he nodded, inspecting the piece of cloth. His eyes widened suddenly when he noticed the red stain on one side. _Blood…_ he knew instantly.

"What's wrong, Tora-nii?"

"N-nothing, nothing's wrong Miya-chan…" he hesitantly explained. _Like hell I'm going to show this to her! She'll start crying!_

He looked around frantically for something to take her attention away from the cloth. "W-what's that over there?" He pointed off to a small, gleaming white object that had been discarded off to the side.

Himemiya ran to it and brought it back to Torahku, who gasped sharply - in even more shock than before. Himemiya was holding a small, white DS stylus that Torahku knew all to well.

_ Sarutoubi never goes _anywhere_ without his lucky stylus!_ His mind exclaimed, _what could this mean? Was Sarutoubi here too, with Izuna? Did one of them bleed?_ A shocking thought occurred. _This tree fort… It didn't crash _just now_, did it?_

"Tora-nii, over here…!"

Himemiya had already placed the stylus in Torahku's hand and run off to another side of the broken fort. He pocketed the stylus and the piece of cloth, his only clues as to what had happened, before walking over to Himemiya and crouching down yet again.

The scouting sheep now had a strip of Tanabata paper in her hand, and was holding it to her heart.

Torahku smiled warmly, "What'd you wish for then, Miya-chan?"

She handed him the paper and his heart melted when he read her extremely-well-written wish.

"_I wish Tarumi-nee-chan would marry Tora-nii, so that he could be my Onii-san."_

"I still wish it would come true…" she smiled. "But I guess not."

Torahku tilted his head as she continued. "We all wrote this on the night before I fell out of the tree. And then Tarumi-nee-chan yelled at you."

Torahku silently put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and he smiled down at her. "You don't need this kind of wish Miya-chan. I'll always be your Onii-san, even if Tarumi-chan hates me…"

Confusion played on the little sheep's innocent face. "But, Tarumi-nee-chan doesn't hate you."

Torahku's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Tarumi-nee-chan doesn't hate you at all, Tora-nii." She repeated. "If she did, she wouldn't allow me to come and play with you every day. Tarumi-nee-chan trusts you, or else she wouldn't have let you take care of me after I fell out of the tree…"

For a seven-year-old, Torahku thought, Himemiya was smarter than some people he knew; not including himself, of course, (though, Sarutoubi could put up some debate on that.) But, that wasn't the task at hand.

Himemiya was right, wasn't she? It had never occurred to Torahku why Tarumi let her sister tag along with him, especially after Himemiya's little accident. Tarumi jumped at the chance to let him know how much she hated him, but her little sister blew a huge hole in that string of logic.

"Maybe…" Himemiya began, pointing at the wet piece of Tanabata paper that lay in Torahku's hand. "Maybe this should be your wish too, Tora-nii!"

Torahku nodded, "Maybe, Miya-chan… maybe…"

"Oi…! Thank goodness we found you!"

Torahku and Himemiya stood as Torahku exclaimed. "Ryusuke-nii! Akane-nee! You came for us!"

Akane ran right passed the tiger with nothing more than a mutter of, "I wasn't talking to you…" and went straight up to Himemiya.

"Are you alright, Himemiya-chan…?"

Himemiya nodded. "I'm fine Akane-nee-san. J-just…" she sneezed quietly. "I'm just a little cold…"

Akane sighed as she lifted her soaking little cousin into her arms and placed a hand on her forehead. "Looks like you're coming down with one as well…" She turned and called. "Ryusuke, I thought Sarutoubi-kun's text said that they were here."

The silent Ryusuke walked up to her and Torahku. "It appears that they went to find shelter. Apparently, Haruhi-chan and Kana-chan are injured."

"G-guys…!" Himemiya exclaimed.

Akane sighed again. "Sick, injured, transformed into a monster… I hope Katsuya-san understands what he's done! And Kyonosuke-kun…" she trailed off, studying Ryusuke's expression. "What do you think _he's_ doing about it?"

Ryusuke shrugged, "I told you, it's not my place to interfere. Kyon's made his decision."

"A-achoo…" Himemiya sneezed once again.

"We have to bring her back to the estate." Torahku concluded.

"N-no…!" Himemiya burst suddenly. "I have to be with Kana-chan and Haru-chan! They're hurt!"

"Miya-chan," Torahku tried to explain. "_You're_ going to get hurt too, if we don't bring you back."

"Not to mention, Tarumi-san will hit the ceiling if she finds out." Akane added.

Ryusuke cleared his throat, causing them all to stare. "For now, let's bring Himemiya-chan to the other girls. Knowing Sarutoubi and Izuna, the shelter they have is probably top-notch. Torahku, ask him to text us their location, Akane and I will take care of Himemiya-chan while you do."

"Hold on Ryusuke…!" Akane started up; suddenly shocked. She had never talked back to Ryusuke, the one person she looked up to, ever. "Himemiya-chan won't last very long out here in the rain. And…"

The dragon put a hand on her shoulder and she stopped instantly. "I trust you Akane… Himemiya-chan will be fine."

Akane was completely caught as she stammered. "Y-yes… I understand."

Two minutes later, Torahku announced the location of Sarutoubi's shelter and Ryusuke seemed less than surprised.

"I was almost expecting that…" is what his expression told everyone.

"That's kind of far," Akane commented, lifting, the already sleeping, Himemiya onto her back. "Maybe we would be better off finding shelter around here."

"Akane-nee…" Torahku interrupted as he handed her the piece of cloth that Himemiya had found earlier. "Take a look at this…"

Akane gasped sharply at the sight of the blood. "I-Izuna…" She shook her head and turned to Ryusuke. "Alright, let's go…!"

Ryusuke was crouching by the destroyed, and now forgotten, tree fort when Akane had called for him. He appeared to be staring at something he had picked up from the rubble, but Akane knew that there was no time to question him about it now.

"Ryusuke…" She put a hand on his shoulder and the boy turned to face her. "C'mon, let's get going."

"Right…" he nodded, pocketing whatever he had been holding. "Let's go, I know the way by heart…"

As he led them away from the tree house and towards Sarutoubi's shelter, he fingered the thing, wet piece of paper he had placed in his pocket.

_This is going to be my trump card…_ thought the eldest member of the zodiac, _just in case I need it to get through to him later…_

Akane gaped when they had reached their destination. "R-Ryusuke… you didn't know all along, did you?"

The dragon smirked, "Come now Akane, I'm not psychic… although, I _do_ listen quite well to my mother's history lessons."

"I thought the whole story of the elders 'moving the Sohma estate to a _more significant place'_ was a lie to get us to sleep during bedtime…" Akane shook her head.

"And that could precisely be why it had to be true, is it not?" Ryusuke countered as Akane's mouth dropped in shock, not another words coming out.

"This place isn't _actually…_?" Torahku stuttered as he stared at the so-called 'shelter' Sarutoubi and Izuna had chosen.

"Go ahead and say it, Torahku…" Ryusuke scoffed, "We both know Akane's too shocked to…"

Torahku blinked his eyes, knowing that he would never want to be around if Michiko were here to see this. "This is really… Shigure Oji-san's old house…?"

Ryusuke chuckled. "Well, shall we enter the normal way? Or the way Kyo Oji-san entered?"

**A/N's: (^_^) I love Ryusuke's last line in this chapter. Just wondering, but does anyone have a favourite couple? (The thought came up because of Himemiya's little "Tarumi X Torahku" moment). It'd be kinda cool if people were character shipping my fan-fiction. I know there are a couple of Michiko-fans reading this, so does that mean Michiko X Kamina fans as well? I also know that **_**meant4ivashkov-san**_** likes Tohru X Kaoru and **_**IndusLotus2001-san**_** is a Kyonosuke X Izuna fan (well, I'm actually guessing but, yeah…) As for me, I love all of the little couplings I planned out - though my favourite would have to be the relationship between Ryusuke and Akane (Tohru X Kaoru and Izuna X Kyon are close second and third). I've been waiting on reviews and (I know this sounds kind of whiney but,) people **_**are**_** still reading this, right? Even if you aren't reviewing the story because they quality of the chapters is decreasing, or the updates are slower than usual - I'd really like to know (just tell me in a **_**non-flame-ish**_** kind of way). I'm surprised I can get this many chapters up with school going on, but I had a doctor's appointment today, so I got to stay home and finish this up. Anyway, looking forward to any more reviews and I sincerely thank all of the people who have reviewed and followed this story since the start! THANK YOU! I'll see you all in the next chapter. (Look forward to it: It's Kaoru, Michiko, Daisuke, and transformed-Tohru's time to shine!)**


	34. Team Tohru

Chapter 33: Team Tohru

**~Extremely long chapter alert and, also, when transformed-Tohru talks, it'll be in capitals and when **_**normal**_** Tohru talks, it's in usual lower-case (you'll understand when you read it)**

"_I remember the day that I met her with extreme clarity… However, my memory recalls the day she died with even more clarity… And, that's what saddens me the most."_

"I'm sure Tohru-chan's fine!" Michiko called from Kaoru's back.

Kaoru's pace slowed and came to a stop before Michiko got down from her spot and stared, bright-eyed at him.

The young rabbit studied her older cousin's face with a concerned expression. The once lively and rarely-ever-distraught smile he once wore had turned into the bitterest of looks that Michiko had ever seen.

Kaoru refused to reply to Michiko; as if verbalizing his thoughts would jinx the delicate situation. "The rain's getting harder…" he muttered, running a hand through his drenched spikes. "We're only going to get more soaked and tired if we keep at this pace."

_Cats hate rain…_

"Kao-nii…" Michiko pouted. "T… Tohru-chan will be fine. I promise."

Kaoru scoffed, "That's odd…" The horse smirked, devoid of emotion. "I thought you hated empty promises. If I had said that to you… _back then,_ you would've gotten angry, no?"

Michiko knew he didn't mean anything by it and that it was perfectly natural for Kaoru to be acting like this, given the circumstances; but the memory he had brought up was far too bitter for Michiko to handle rationally.

"_P-please… they'll b-be alright, won't they? T-they're going to be okay, right?" Michiko pleaded. "Someone tell me…!"_

Michiko had kept this memory in the far corners of her mind. It was the only trigger to sadness, to hate, to anger, and any other negative emotion for the rabbit, and no one but Kaoru and Kamina knew. The angst-ridden Kaoru had used this to his advantage since, of course, he wasn't exactly in the best mind-set either. He watched with narrow eyes as the aura around his younger cousin slowly changed from yellow to red.

"They told me they'd be fine…" Michiko muttered; her gaze dropping to the forest floor as her fists balled at each side. Through clenched teeth, Michiko's suddenly shaky voice echoed. "That Kyo Oji-san has been through worse before… And that Tohru Oba-chan has the strongest heart they've ever seen… _Lies... _all of them… Why couldn't they just tell me the truth?"

"But, they _were_ truth…" a voice suddenly called out.

"Who's there…?" the edgy Michiko yelled.

"Calm down…" Daisuke said softly as he appeared from one side of the clearing.

"Daisuke Oji-san…?" Kaoru blinked.

"Have… you found Tohru yet?"

"Do you think we would just be standing here if we had found her?" the rabbit cried.

It was _that_ outburst that caused Kaoru's frozen heart to melt a little. His anger faded just enough to see what he had accidentally created. He put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him with teary, anger-filled eyes.

"Oi, oi… Mii-chan, only _I'm_ allowed to act like that. Why do you think I brought you along? I'm the rain right now, and you have to be my sunlight, okay?"

"What I said earlier was true…" Daisuke stepped in as Michiko turned to him. "Michiko-chan, did you know that my grandparents died smiling?"

The little girl blinked the tears out of her eyes. "E-Ehh…? I've never heard anything about that…" she said quietly.

Daisuke nodded. "Tohru Oba-chan and Kyo Oji-san understood that the doctor's did everything they could and finally, with hands intertwined, they died together…"

Michiko was silent for a long while, in deep thought over what she was supposed to think. She had looked up to _everyone_ from the previous zodiac, but she loved Tohru the most. Kaoru had introduced her to them, back when all of the zodiac members were still alive and in the estate. Over the years some of them moved away or died, but Tohru and Kyo were always there for Michiko.

When the two passed away, Michiko and Kaoru (who were both known for the optimism and smiles) fell into a state of depression. Kaoru was helped out of it by Akane and Michiko, with Kamina.

But, as was clear now, whenever she was reminded of those horrible days from her childhood, the pain she had felt then returned and was like a punch in the face to others, when considering her usual happy disposition.

Leaving Michiko to her thoughts, Kaoru questioned the newly-arrived Daisuke. "How'd you know where to find us?"

The man shrugged, "Call it a gut feeling, a hunch…? Or maybe, it's the fact that this is the same place as where it happened… _back then._"

"You don't mean…?" Kaoru began.

"This is where Kazuma-san took off Kyo Oji-sama's beads?" Michiko had heard Daisuke loud and clear, and quickly cut Kaoru off to make her statement known.

Daisuke smirked, putting his hands in his pockets and walking ahead of the two zodiac members in a way that said 'follow me'.

"Rather ironic, isn't it?"

Kaoru and Michiko glanced at each other before following him. Soon enough, Michiko was ahead of the two boys and back to her old self. Kaoru leaned in and discreetly asked Daisuke. "Y-you think Tohru's alright…?"

"I can hear you…!" Michiko called without turning to face them. "Tohru-chan will be fine if _you_ have anything to do with it, Kao-nii…"

"What are you talking about now, Mii-chan?"

Michiko spun around and smiled widely. "Tohru-chan _has_ to be fine because she's _your_ Tohru, Kao-nii!"

"_My_ Tohru…?"

"What do you mean by that, Michiko-chan?"

"D-uh, Kao-nii is like the new Kyo Oji-sama and new-Tohru-chan is just like old-Tohru-chan!" She crossed her arms and nodded knowingly. "You're Tohru-chan's knight Kao-nii. That's why you have to save her and that's why I know she'll be alright!"

Kaoru's eyebrow twitched, his face flushing with red as he tried to explain. "U-umm, my relationship with Tohru-chan isn't anything l-like that…!"

Daisuke gave him a disapproving look, as any father would, and Kaoru stammered. "N-no, seriously… T-Tohru-chan and I… I mean, she only think of me as a…"

"As her best friend…" Michiko answered for him.

Kaoru bit his lip; he was getting absolutely nowhere with this questioning, and he knew the smartest idea would be to drop it all together. The things Michiko mentioned, probably held truth… _probably_; but there was _one_ thing that didn't, and when the horse realized it, his sadness from earlier returned.

"How could I be her knight, Mii-chan? I can't even save her." Kaoru muttered.

Michiko blinked, "W-what do you mean you can't save her? _You're_ her Kaoru, her Kyo! You _have_ to save her!"

Daisuke's eyes widened at the realization. "Y-you're right Kaoru… How're we going to…?"

Kaoru shrugged as Michiko looked at the two. "W-what…? I don't get it."

"Mii-chan, think back to _how_ Tohru Oba-chan saved Kyo Oji-san, what did they do?"

"That's easy… Tohru Oba-sama and Kyo Oji-sama hugged and then Kyo Oji-sama turned into a cat and…" The girl gasped and stopped dead in her tracks.

"Do you understand it now, Mii-chan…?" Kaoru asked, tilting his head and wondering why Michiko stopped walking.

Daisuke stopped as well and Kaoru looked over to him. "D-Daisuke Oji-san, Mii-chan, w-what…?"

Kaoru's half-question was answered by Michiko's finger shakily pointing in front of them. Kaoru turned his head slowly; it couldn't be, could it?

In a far-off clearing, the group of three saw her… saw _it._ The bony, disfigured creature that had become of their beloved cousin, daughter and friend was sitting right in front of them; albeit a good distance apart, so that the beast couldn't hear them coming, but they were in earshot of the quiet musings of a transformed-girl.

Not that the so-called 'beast' would've noticed in any case, for she was too caught up in her own thoughts.

Tohru stared hard at the ground in front of her. She had decided that her transformed head was too heavy to look up at the moon that had always comforted her, _and_ that she was far too uncaring to give it a try.

_This wasn't fair…_ her mind concluded.

She had entered the game with no knowledge of the rules whatsoever, and she had just lost to her rival team.

"I shouldn't have come here…" she told herself. "I should've just denied mom's request, yelled at Kaoru until he left me alone… Why am I like this?"

She could only imagine what things would've been like, had she been _different_, a little more normal. She would have regular friends, maybe a boyfriend too. She'd enjoy school a whole lot more, maybe get slightly lower grades, but she would make up for it because, if things were different, she would actually have a social life.

But half of her mind waged war on this thought.

"But didn't I already say that I loved having an abnormal life? Didn't I already decide that life was so much more fun with the Sohma curse…?"

_Curse…_

She understood why it was a curse now. Kaoru had said that the cat's was the most unique. "That's probably why I'm the only one who had to wear those beads…"

The sounds of the beads falling to the ground, one by one, which were what spelled out her demise for her, echoed relentlessly in her head and plagued her mind.

"Mom said that dad was the one who gave me those beads…" Sadness turned to anger in her heart. "_Dad_ is the one in the Sohma family… _He's_ the one who brought this upon me… _He's_ the one that left mom and me…" It all traced back to the father she had only known in words from a letter and beads on a, now broken, necklace.

But, the letter reminded her of something Kaoru had told her. _"Your dad is amazing. If you can read between the lines of this letter, you'll see it: love. He obviously still loves your mother and I'm sure he loves you too, but for one reason or another, he had to leave. And, you said it, you may not give a damn where he is or what he's doing… but, I've got a hunch that, wherever he is, he's thinking about you and your mom. That's the kind of guy he is."_

"Love…?" Tohru chimed. "Tch, yeah right…! All he did was escape and leave me with this curse. Mom said that I have a brother…" she recalled. "Does that mean that dad went off with another woman? Ughh… I _hate_ him!"

Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the distance. She blinked and slowly turned her head. "Who's there…?" she yelled. She heard nearing footsteps squelching on the wet mix of grass and fallen leaves and she turned her monster body towards the sound.

When she saw who it was that had approached her, her transformed-eyes widened in shock. _G-get away…! Please go away…! I don't want to hurt you, of all people… I don't want you to hate me. Not you… Not you…!_

Tohru's heart filled with the tears her transformed-eyes couldn't cry as she stared at Kaoru, who was nearing with every step.

"T-Tohru…? It's me, Kaoru…"

"GET AWAY…!" Tohru yelled, suddenly realizing that the voice that escaped her mouth wasn't her voice.

Kaoru winced at the voice change, but continued inching his way towards her. "Kitten…" he made it sound as if she _wasn't_ a giant hideous beast. "C'mon Kitten, let's head back home…"

Despite her intentions and will, her disfigured arm moved by itself and just missed scratching Kaoru's head clean off, only scraping his cheek with the claws Tohru hadn't noticed she had obtained. Tohru's inner self gasped at the sight of Kaoru's blood running down his face.

Kaoru grimaced at the pain and wiped the blood from his cheek with his hand, but he didn't stop advancing towards her. "Tohru… come back with us. Come back _to_ us. Michiko-chan's just over there; she's waiting for you…"

Kaoru knew the words coming out of his mouth were utter nonsense that Tohru wouldn't be stupid enough to buy; but what else was he supposed to say?"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Tohru's booming voice called. _Please leave Kaoru; I don't want to hurt you…_ Tohru swung her arm again, purposely missing in the hopes that Kaoru would get scared and leave.

"But we're friends Tohru…" Kaoru tried to explain, getting closer and closer. "I can't leave you alone…"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" she screamed. _Kaoru! Leave this place! Leave me alone! I've always been alone so it's not like anything will matter! Damn it Kaoru, why the hell do you have to care so much?_

"I'm here to take you back, Kitten. Everyone's waiting for you…" _You have to come back Tohru… I need you to come back._

"THIS DOESN'T CONCERN YOU!" Tohru went on. "THIS IS ALL MY FATHER'S FAULT ANYWAY! JUST GET THE HELL AWAY!"

Kaoru stopped advancing and stared straight at the beast. "Your father…? What does he have to do with this?"

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT? _HE'S_ THE ONE WHO MADE ME LIKE THIS! HE'S THE REASON I'M A SOHMA! HE LEFT ME AND HE LEFT MY MOM AND I _HATE_ HIM!"

Daisuke, who had been watching from afar, felt his heart sink. He silently stood and Michiko looked up at him.

"E-Ehh Oji-san, what're you doing? Kao-nii said to leave it to him!"

"Stay here Michiko-chan…" he ordered as he stepped out of the bushes and began his way to Kaoru's side.

"Do you really hate your father, Tohru?"

"I'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THAT! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM!"

Kaoru closed his eyes, already sensing Daisuke's entrance. "I see Kitten…" He opened his eyes. "So, why don't you tell him that for yourself?"

"W-WHAT…?" Tohru's head moved to face the newly-approached Daisuke.

Purple eyes met as Daisuke stared straight at his daughter's shocked monster-expression. "Tohru…" he gulped. "I… I'm sorry…"

"N-NO…! T-THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! THAT MEANS THAT SOHMA…!"

Tears streamed down Daisuke's face and Kaoru averted his gaze.

"That's right Tohru," Daisuke sighed. "Katsuya is…"

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Tohru shrieked. "THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!"

Kaoru suddenly realized something and quickly turned to face Daisuke. "I've got it Oji-san! I know how to save Tohru."

Daisuke's head slowly turned. "How're you going to do it?"

Kaoru shook his head. "I've done all I can… _You're_ going to do it."

"What…?"

Kaoru gave him the most serious look he had ever made. "I'm not joking. _You're_ the only one who can save her."

"H-how…?"

"You're not part of the zodiac…"

The depth of Kaoru's words sunk into Daisuke, who nodded. "I see…" He turned to face monster-Tohru, who was strangely not facing them anymore.

"Why'd she…?" Daisuke began.

"Michiko…!" Kaoru yelled as the two men saw the young rabbit standing straight in front of Tohru monstrous form.

Tears flowed down her young face as she looked up at Tohru. "Please don't leave me Tohru-chan…! Don't leave me again!"

_Michiko-chan… Why are you standing there? Don't you know I'm going to hurt you? _"M-Michiko-chan…"

She looked up, noticing that Tohru's voice sounded normal for a moment. "T-Tohru-chan, is that you?"

Tohru was trying to fight back at the monster taking over, but lost in the end and could only get a single word out before it re-took its possession.

"Run…"

Tohru's giant claw-like hand raised up, ready for a blow.

"Oji-san, do it now!" Kaoru yelled as he dived to move Michiko out of the way.

"Kao-nii…!" Michiko muffled into her older cousin's chest.

"Tohru…!" Daisuke yelled.

Tohru spun around to face then man, the back of her tail threatening to knock Michiko and Kaoru over, had they not been crouching to the ground.

"Tohru, I'm sorry…" Daisuke stepped forward. "Tohru… I never got to say this when I left…"

Daisuke fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around the disfigured arm of his daughter. "Tohru…"

Her eyes widened as millions of images flashed through her head. She saw her past-life, back at school when she ate lunch alone, walked home alone, and _was_ alone. The images moved to her recent life, after she had met Kaoru and transformed into a cat for the first time. Next was her guessing game and the banquet when she and Kaoru nearly kissed. Then, thoughts of this morning, in the kitchen with Kaoru and on her way to Kamina's room, came flooding in. But finally, everything ended with Katsuya, her maybe-brother, holding her back as Kyonosuke ripped the necklace from its place. After that image passed, everything began fading to black.

_I'm passing out…_ she thought, _I know the feeling…_

The last words she heard before she went out were:

"Tohru, my daughter… I love you…"

And then, she was out cold.

**A/N's: So, how was it? Did it suck? Was it good? I really don't know how well this chapter turned out, so it'd be really appreciated if you told me. Just as a side note, there's still a whole lot of drama to get through in this story, so don't go thinking that it's over yet and look forward to the next chapter~! We're heading to Shigure's house again!**


	35. Picture Perfect

Chapter 34: Picture Perfect

The forest was deathly silent, aside from the pounding rain that made the situation all the more uncomfortable.

Everyone was frozen, not daring to even talk, let alone move. But, Michiko quickly put an end to that. She stirred from Kaoru's grasp and ran to Tohru, who had, thankfully, transformed back into her human form.

"Tohru-chan…!" she yelled when she noticed her cousin lying flat and unmoving on the forest floor.

Tohru's clothes were ripped, but just about covered everywhere important, and her pants had stayed intact completely; though, if the cat-girl had been conscious at the time, her face would have, yet again, changed into the colour of her hair.

Kaoru stood as well and slowly walked over to Daisuke, who was crouching alongside Michiko around Tohru.

"Is it… over?" The horse had to ask.

Daisuke stared hard at his daughter's face as he touched her arm. "She's completely knocked out, possibly in a coma…" he said without emotion.

"But… she transformed back into a human again, does that mean she's okay?" Michiko prodded.

Daisuke's gaze dropped. "We don't know if she'll wake up… But, it won't exactly be a happy awakening for her."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed. "H-how come…?"

Daisuke pointed to the unconscious girl's neck, where her necklace had once been. "Her beads are missing… probably still on the floor in Kamina-kun's room, if someone hasn't already touched them. Tohru may be a human now, since she's unconscious, but when and… _if_ she wakes up, she'll transform right back…"

Michiko looked from Daisuke's emotionless expression to Kaoru, whose face had turned to stone as well. He was intensely staring at the cat of the zodiac with anything but a smile on his face.

Kaoru sighed quietly to himself as he gazed at Tohru. _Kitten… It's either you're with us by being knocked out… or away from us by being alive… What am I supposed to do…?_

Tohru's eyebrows twitched slightly; though just enough for only Kaoru to notice. Her expression looked scared, troubled, and helpless; like the face of someone having a nightmare. Kaoru noticed the paleness of her rained-on skin and, when he touched her arm, her rapidly decreasing body temperature.

"What do we do now?" Michiko asked.

Daisuke looked to Kaoru, as if deciding that he wouldn't start talking any time soon. "Well I think…"

"Cats hate rain…" Kaoru muttered as his other two companions looked straight at him. The boy's gaze never left Tohru's face as he went on. "Tohru gets extremely sick when it rains…"

"Just like Oji-sama…" Michiko mused.

Kaoru's eyes darkened. "Coma or not, she won't last if she stays in the rain any longer." Kaoru removed his jacket and, with help from Daisuke and Michiko, put it around Tohru and slid her onto Kaoru's back.

"But, where do we go?" Michiko asked.

Daisuke surveyed the area. "There's a place out here that I know of, but it's a little bit of a walk. Follow me…"

Kaoru nodded, following Daisuke's footsteps with the comatose Tohru on his back. Michiko was at a loss, but shrugged and ran to catch up with Daisuke.

"What kind of place is it, Oji-san?"

"I'm sure you'll like it, Michiko-chan…" Daisuke smirked. "_Tohru_ knew it very well…"

* * *

"Katsuya-nii, wait…!" Kyonosuke called, giving chase to the rat who had bolted out of the room.

"Why are you following me?" the rat questioned.

"Where else am I supposed to go?" Kyonosuke yelled, causing Katsuya to stop in his tracks, just out of the main entrance to the estate, which led to the surrounding forest, where the rest of the family had run off.

"Izuna… and pretty much _everyone_ else in the zodiac hate me!"

Katsuya refused to look at him. "Do you hate me for it…?"

"I would if I could…" Kyonosuke's eyes narrowed, burrowing a hole into Katsuya's back. "But, who else am I supposed to turn to for answers now?"

"Why don't you ask your own damn brother?" Katsuya remarked coldly.

"You know that's out of the question!"

"Is it really, Kyon-kun?" Katsuya turned and walked towards his younger cousin. "…because, _Ryusuke_ was the one who instructed me and Kaoru to go help you out whenever you need it."

Kyonosuke took a step back, "T-that's a lie…!"

Katsuya _needed_ to be alone right now and was using any means necessary to get rid of Kyonosuke at the moment; even if it hurt either of them.

"It's not!" Katsuya sniped back. "It's the whole truth. Kaoru and I, we didn't come to you on our own accord… We were just asked to fill-in the position of 'older brother', since you hated your own so much."

Katsuya scoffed; his rational mind had left ages ago and only focused on the here and now. Seemingly not even caring that the colour was draining from his younger cousin and surrogate "younger brother", Katsuya dealt the final blow. "Congrats Kyon-kun," he smiled bitterly, "You've just lost the trust of everyone who _actually_ cared about you…"

"So did you…"

Katsuya raised an eyebrow; he had expected Kyonosuke to run back with tears in his eyes and try to redeem himself by sucking up to Izuna or Ryusuke - that was what the Kyonosuke Katsuya knew would do. The rat certainly hadn't expected him to retaliate.

"What are you talking about?" Katsuya sneered.

"Katsuya nii-san, the people back there… _all of them,_ they're your family, _our_ family. And, families will continue to be families, even if they don't live together, or see each other everyday - you can't erase blood relation. That's why the Sohma family has been alive for all of these years. So, even if Tohru nee-chan was your sister, or wasn't, it doesn't matter!"

Katsuya's eyes widened as the boar went on. "She was a Sohma nonetheless, and you just went ahead and ruined her life! I didn't run after you to help you out of your slump, I chased you so that I could make sure that you understood this. You _had_ a family Katsuya…"

Katsuya noted the lack of honorific.

"You had something beautiful that not many people have. You had friends like me and Kaoru and Haruhi, a whole group of close-knit cousins, a loving father… and you even gained a mother and sister." Kyonosuke turned on his heel and was about to walk back into the estate. "Why'd you throw it all away Katsuya…? And why'd you have to drag me down with you…?"

With that being said, Kyonosuke walked back into the estate and left the angst-ridden Katsuya alone in the rain, alone to his thoughts.

Katsuya stood still for a long while in the rain. His thoughts were at war with each other. _I'm right, and everyone else is wrong… aren't I? I made the right decision. Or maybe not…_

The conversation he had with Rin earlier, though it actually seemed much farther than that, rang through the rat's head.

"What did Rin-sensei say again?" He clenched his fist at the memory, "I'm very _Kyo-like_… right?"

"_You may hate the cat, being the rat and all, but I wonder… If you had met Kyo Oji-san, as you are now, I think you'd get along rather nicely."_

How stupid was that? Katsuya thought. How could the rat of the zodiac _ever_ be compared to the cat?

"…_from what I saw of Kyo Oji-san myself, he acted very much like you Katsuya-kun."_

And what was that supposed to mean? The rat is acting like the cat? It didn't make sense to him at all.

"_Kyo Oji-san's mother died, you know?"_

That's what got his attention the first time, and it certainly sparked his memory now. Kyo's mother had died, just like Katsuya thought _his_ mother did. But, his dad thoroughly proved that wrong when he brought that cat's mother in and called her his.

He was honestly wondering if it was possible. His mother being alive, the story about the twins and that… _cat_ being his sister… Was it all possible?

"Everyone in the clan believes it…" he answered himself, thinking back to Kyonosuke's words not two minutes ago.

Katsuya sighed as he looked to the sky and let himself get drenched in the rain; his blood-red hair looking even darker and sticking to his forehead.

"What am I supposed to do…?"

* * *

A scream echoed throughout the entire forest.

"Geez Mii-chan…!" Kaoru yelled, slightly deafened from being so close to the rabbit when she exploded. "You might wake up Kitten, and _that_ certainly wouldn't turn out well."

"S-sorry…!' she nodded. "B-but this… this place is…!"

"Did I hear a little rabbit explode…?" a voice beckoned from inside the previous dog's house as Izuna opened the door and gasped. "T-Tohru nee-chan…!"

Kaoru nodded solemnly as the group of three entered the house.

"I-is she…?" Izuna was too frightened to ask. _S-she can't be _dead,_ can she?_

Daisuke shook his head, "No, no… she's just knocked out."

"That's not any better!" Izuna exclaimed.

"Shh…" Kaoru piped up. "Keep your voice down. If Kitten wakes up, she'll transform again."

Izuna nodded quickly as she led them to the living room where Akane was comfortably sitting in one corner; a symbolic book in her hand that was, surprisingly, dry.

Upon seeing Tohru, Akane dropped her book and immediately stood to help Daisuke and Kaoru lay Tohru's body down on the floor.

"Michiko-chan, could you get a blanket from down the hall, in the closet?" Izuna asked as she knelt beside Tohru.

"Sure thing…!" Michiko answered, following the 'wolf's' orders and stepping out of the room.

"Was it only you two?" Kaoru questioned Akane.

"Sarutoubi-kun, Torahku, Ryusuke, and the three girls were here as well; but the boys thought it best to bring them back home." Akane stared down at Tohru's face. "So…" she muttered quietly. "What's our worst-case-scenario?"

Kaoru silently stood and walked over to the table to sit alone; Daisuke knew it was his turn to field this one. "If Tohru wakes up…" he hated that he had to use the term 'if', "…and her beads aren't with her, she'll re-transform into her hidden form. But…" his expression darkened, "…if she _doesn't_ wake up then… well…"

Izuna bit her lip as she hesitantly put a hand to Tohru's arm. "S-she'll wake up… and we'll have the beads back with her. I just know it…!"

"They're scattered across the floor of Kamina-kun's room…" Kaoru said dejectedly, looking anywhere but the faces of the people around him as he rested his head on his fist.

"Kao-nii…" Izuna looked at him sadly.

"Plus, the rain isn't helping either…" Kaoru went on. "Kit… I mean, _Tohru_'s natural healing ability is impaired when it rains, as was with Kyo Oji-san. We don't know if she'll _ever_ wake up."

"Kaoru…" Akane sighed to herself as Michiko came bursting back into the room.

"Guys, guys…! Check out what I found!" she exclaimed as Izuna rolled her eyes.

"Michiko-chan, I told you to get a blanket, not go searching…"

"I did get one…!" she nodded as she handed it to Akane and walked into the room, happily clutching something to her chest.

"What'd you find…?" Daisuke asked, glancing at Kaoru, who hadn't even flinched when Michiko came bouncing in.

"It's a picture frame…" she said, handing it to her uncle.

"T-this is…!"

"It's what I think it is, right?" she smiled cheekily.

"What is it, Oji-san?" Izuna asked as she and Akane walked over to see.

It was a picture frame, for sure, just like Michiko had said; but inside there were separate individual shots of two children.

One was an innocent-looking boy, who was tilting his head to one side in the cutest fashion. He sported a usual martial arts training outfit with a baseball cap over his mess of _blood-red_ hair.

The other was a smiling young girl, who looked to be the same age. She was wearing a uniform for her elementary school and was clutching a book to her chest, as if it meant the world to her. Her _violet_ eyes shone brightly at whoever was taking the picture.

Off to the corner of the frame, there was a piece of paper with handwriting that Michiko knew too well. It read:

_Dear Shigure-san,  
It's been some time since your last visit, so I thought I should write to you. Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun say hello. (Well, Kyo-kun didn't _really_ say hello, but… I'm sure you understand.) Please give my regards to Akito-san as well. I'm sending over some pictures that my grandson gave me. To think that I now have two great-grandkids! How wonderful is that? Though, I haven't met either of them in person, Daisuke-kun tells me that my great-grandson is very much like Kyo-kun. Isn't that cute? I haven't heard much about my great-granddaughter, except that she was named after me. Me, of all people! In the picture, she certainly doesn't look like me! In any case, I hope you find a good place to put these pictures and I can't wait to see you and Akito-san at your next visit!  
Sincerely,  
Tohru (and Kyo-kun) _

"It's from old-Tohru-chan…!" Michiko happily exclaimed, jumping around.

Daisuke smiled warmly as he shook his head and sighed. "Honestly, Oba-chan…"

"How sweet…" Izuna nodded as she held the picture frame in her hand and looked it over for herself.

Her eyebrows furrowed when she noticed a small piece of paper sticking out from the back of the frame. She knelt down beside Kaoru at the table and gently pried open the back of the frame where another picture, along with the piece of paper she'd seen, was hidden.

The second piece of paper had a small note that read:

_Not to worry Tohru-chan, I've put your pictures in the most special place I could find  
-Shigure_

Akane walked over to Izuna and took a look at the second picture. "Who're they…?" she asked as Izuna shrugged.

"I don't know, Nee-sama, I've never seen them before…"

Michiko ran over and tilted her head. "I don't know them either…"

Kaoru silently glanced at the picture the three girls were pondering on and, when he saw it, his eyes widened in shock. "T-that's…!" he turned quickly to Daisuke. "Oji-san… have you seen this picture?"

Daisuke laid the blanket Michiko had retrieved onto his daughter before standing and walking towards the zodiac members.

"Who is it, Kao-nii?" Michiko prodded.

Daisuke's smile grew wider as he saw the picture. "Yes Kaoru, tell them who those people are."

"Katsuya…" Kaoru muttered as the whole group, save Daisuke, turned to the horse in shock.

Kaoru smiled, "Katsuya and Kyoko… Honda…"

The three girls were in shock, each one about to verbalize some sort of disbelieving sound. However, none of them got the chance to; although Michiko _did_ verbalize something.

"T-Tohru-chan…?" she exclaimed as the whole group turned to face the unconscious cat.

Tohru had turned deathly pale, she was sweating and her breaths were shallow. Kaoru was the first to stand and make it towards her, lifting her up into his arms.

"We need to get her to a hospital… fast!" the horse ordered.

"Ryusuke's father and Haruhi's mother…" Akane said quickly. "They're the Sohma family doctors…"

"I'll call them now…" Daisuke nodded, whipping out his cell phone.

"I grabbed an umbrella…" Izuna offered, quickly coming to Kaoru's side and holding Tohru's near-lifeless hand. "I'll come with you."

"I know a shortcut out of the forest!" Michiko exclaimed, already at the front door.

Izuna and Kaoru, with an umbrella and the wavering Tohru on-hand, followed her out, with Akane and Daisuke close behind.

_What was I thinking…? _Kaoru's mind screamed as he ran with Tohru in his arms. _How could I have been so stupid… so naïve to think that it was all over?_

Michiko's shortcut turned out to be sufficient and, when they were all at the side of the road, Haruhi's mother pulled up in her car. With nothing more than a forceful "Get in!" by the woman named Chikarai Sohma, the group piled into the car hurriedly.

_Things are far from over…_ Kaoru's mind echoed as he held Tohru a little tighter, a little closer to him. _No… things have just begun…

* * *

_

A/N's: Well, I now know how to make the border lines again - all thanks to Kiki Hayashi-san, (who's my favourite Code Geass Lelouch X C.C. author). Like I said last chapter, more drama is to come. I don't really have much else to say write now except that I really want to thank EVERYONE (again) for reading and reviewing, because, seriously, it means a lot! Keep those great reviews coming and I'll see you guys in the next drama-filled chapter!


	36. Repentance and Reward

Chapter 35: Repentance and Reward

The hallway outside of the room was silent.

Akane leaned against one of the walls beside the door as she comforted a silently depressed Izuna. Michiko was holding Izuna's hand, unsure of what else she could do. Daisuke was inside with Dr. Chikarai - Haruhi's mother - and the unconscious Tohru herself. And Kaoru, he was sitting alone on one of the benches with his head hung and his dark-brown spikes masking his face.

After what seemed like ages, Daisuke and Chikarai stepped out of the room and all faces turned to them with expectant eyes.

Dr. Chikarai took off her glasses and sighed. "We… we don't know if she'll wake up."

Everyone breathed in sharply. _That_ hadn't been the news they expected to hear.

"Tohru-chan is… well, this isn't my perspective as a doctor, but more as a human being; Tohru-chan is probably trying to overcome something mentally, and won't be able to recover until she does."

"So…" Michiko began quietly. "S-she's going to be okay…?"

Chikarai looked over to Daisuke, who sighed as well. "Tohru's strong… I'm sure she'll wake up." He smiled, "So, when she does, we'll need her beads back on her."

"It's getting late…" Akane remarked. "I'll bring everyone back to the estate, and we can retrieve the beads and come back tomorrow…"

"Good thinking…" Daisuke agreed. "I'm no use around here, so I might as well come with you… She _will_ be alright, won't she, Chika-chan?"

Chikarai smiled. "We'll do everything in our power to make sure of it, Dai-kun."

Akane turned to the distraught horse. "K-Kaoru…? We're going back home."

"No…" he muttered, standing from his place. "I'm staying here."

Akane nodded, fully understanding. "Right, of course you are…"

"T-then I wanna stay here with new-Tohru-chan too!" Michiko exclaimed.

Kaoru shook his head. "You have to go back Mii-chan, I'm sure your parents are worried about you…" Kaoru tried to smile as he messed up Michiko's hair with his hand. "Besides, it's not like there's anyone worrying about me, so it doesn't matter if I stay…" Kaoru brought his little cousin's head in as he whispered in her ear, "And I'm Tohru's knight, aren't I?"

Michiko pulled away and nodded at him. "You're right, Kao-nii…"

Akane patted him on the shoulder. "Take care Kao-chan…"

"And call us as soon as Tohru nee-chan wakes up!" Izuna added as the three girls and Daisuke made their way down the hallway.

"Will do…" Kaoru gave a thumbs-up as he and Chikarai waved them off until they were out the door.

Kaoru sighed when they were gone and turned to Chikarai. "May I… see her, Oba-san?"

Chikarai smiled. "Yes, of course…" she opened the door and Kaoru stepped through it.

* * *

Upon arriving at the estate, Michiko bolted off somewhere, and Izuna and Akane met up with the three boys. They sat together in the main meeting room, where Tohru had first walked into.

"How're the girls?" Izuna pushed in; she didn't really feel like talking about Tohru at the moment.

"Miya-chan's with Tarumi-chan…"

"And my mother is taking care of Kana and Haruhi…" Ryusuke added. "Hitomi Oba-chan and Kamina-kun are there was well. But, more importantly…"

"Is Neko-chan okay?" Sarutoubi tilted his head; though everyone was already aware of his inner-self, it was almost a relief for Izuna to see him act more like his 'outer self'. That personality seemed to fit him better; although the young _wolf_ did fine a new-grown respect for her older cousin.

"Where is she…?" Torahku prodded.

Akane and Izuna were silent, not knowing how to explain the situation at all.

"Akane…" Ryusuke began. "How _bad_ is it…?"

Akane bit her lip and Izuna turned away as her female cousin tried to explain. "S-she's with Chikarai Oba-san right now… We aren't sure if she'll wake up."

"But she's a human again, right?" Torahku wondered.

"Y-yeah…" Izuna's quiet voice answered. "B-but… if we don't get her beads with her when she wakes up… s-she'll…"

As if perfectly on cue, Michiko burst into the room, causing the five teens to look up at her in shock as the rabbit uttered the most unexpected words.

"T-they're gone, every single one of them…!"

Akane was afraid to ask. "_W-what's_ gone…?"

"T-Tohru-chan's beads…!"

"W-what…?" Izuna gasped.

"I-I went down to Kamicchi's room to get them. But, when I got there, they were, like, gone!"

"Do you think Hitomi Oba-san or Kamina-kun got them?" Akane asked quickly.

Ryusuke solemnly shook his head. "No… I walked them to my mother's dojo and they didn't have the beads with them."

"Who else could've done it?" Sarutoubi wondered.

In all the commotion, Izuna was strangely calm as she stood silently.

"Izuna-chan, what is it?" Torahku asked, causing everyone to look at the _wolf_ of the zodiac.

Ryusuke was the first to understand. "Kyonosuke…"

Izuna looked straight into Ryusuke's eyes at the mention of his name. Ryusuke nodded, reaching into his pocket and placing a thin piece of paper into Izuna's hand.

"W-what's this…?"

"Initially, _my_ trump card…" Ryusuke answered. "But, it's possible that it might not be needed, if it's _you,_ Izuna."

Izuna nodded slowly before walked out of the room. "T-thanks Nii-sama…"

As she walked, placing the piece of Tanabata paper in her pocket, this was her first time to really think things through.

_Why would Kyon do such a thing?_ She only had to wonder.

She could still see the images of Kyonosuke reaching to Tohru's neck and tearing the necklace off of her. Izuna could hear her own screaming, as well as Tohru's and Kaoru's when the transformation began.

"I need to find Kyonosuke…" she told herself as she walked the halls determinedly.

She thought back to the times when she would walk down this very hallway in search of Kyonosuke; though the circumstances then were _very_ different from now.

_Oh,_ she thought, _that's right…_ Whenever she needed Kyonosuke to come, he would always run when she called for him.

She almost smiled; _he's more of a dog than I am sometimes…_

She wondered if that trick would still work. "K… Kyon…? Kyonosuke…!"

"I… Izuna…?"

She heard it; she _definitely _heard it. The sound of Kyonosuke's voice came from the room straight down the hall Izuna was currently at. She started to run, not fully knowing why, but running nonetheless. She ran straight to the room where she and Kyonosuke used to play in.

"Kyonosuke…!" Izuna yelled. Her pace slowed to a walk as she stepped into the room and saw the boar of the zodiac sitting on one of the wooden ledges that protruded into the side garden.

The boy looked up for a moment before returning his gaze at the garden "I-it really was you…"

"Kyonosuke…" Izuna sighed as she sat, hesitantly at first, alongside him.

"Come to yell at me…?" he shrugged, "… or tell me that I'm an idiot for trusting Katsuya?" Izuna opened her mouth to speak but Kyonosuke scoffed, much more caught up with his own speculation to notice Izuna trying to get a word in.

"Whatever you're gonna tell me, it's probably true… I should've trusted Kaoru-nii more, followed _his_ advice instead. I know that he cares about me a whole lot more than Katsuya does. And now, Tohru-nee is probably in life-threatening conditions and my idiocy and naivety are to blame."

He dipped his head, in usual Kyonosuke-fashion, glancing slightly at Izuna before gazing back at the ground. "And, what's worse, I hurt what I was trying so hard to protect…"

Izuna tilted her head as Kyonosuke muttered. "…you…"

Her mouth dropped slightly, in a way that Akane would have scolded her about keeping her mouth closed in a ladylike manner.

"I…" Kyonosuke sighed, "I know you didn't mind the curse, and that you'd only _tell_ Kamina-kun that you hate it to make him feel better. But, I saw it, heard it… deep down you hated the curse. Emulating Akane-nee like you do and being the older sister of Kamina-kun, you'd probably be leaning to the side of hating the curse. Because of this, I-I was afraid to tell you… the truth… I _loved _the curse…"

Izuna's mouth dropped even lower.

"Yeah Izuna, I thought completely different from most of the family… _before._ The curse brought us together, the curse made you smile; the curse brought you closer to Kamina-kun. I always thought that the curse was really what was making you happy. But I know… I'm wrong, completely wrong."

"K-Kyonosuke…"

"Geez… I'm a total idiot! Ryusuke-nii was right after all!"

"K-Kyonosuke…!" she tried again, a little louder.

"I'm a naïve, stupid idiot who can't think for himself!" the deaf-to-Izuna's-calls boar went on. "You came here to tell me I'm an idiot, didn't you? I completely agree with you Izuna. I agree with you and Ryusuke-nii… Hell, I bet even Katsuya thinks I'm an idiot too, and I wouldn't blame him for it."

"Hey…!" Izuna yelled as she grabbed Kyonosuke by his shirt collar and crashed her lips onto his.

"I-Izunmmmph…!" Kyonosuke struggled for a moment in shock before melting into the kiss, which was, surprisingly, their first real one.

Izuna was the first to pull away as she stared hard at Kyonosuke's shocked face. "Shut up okay…! I didn't fall in love with an idiot, you hear me? S-so just… shut up Kyon!"

"I… Izuna…" He immediately noticed the lack of his real name, and the return of his nickname.

"Kyon…" A smile began to bubble up on the _wolf's_ face as tears welled up in her eyes. "Why would I yell at you if you've already figured everything out?"

"H-huh…?"

"I only came here to ask whether or not you know where Tohru nee-chan's beads went…" she tried to say nonchalantly, the embarrassment of her actions finally getting to her.

"I honestly don't know where they are…" Kyonosuke smirked, cupping her cheek and wiping the remainder of her tears from her eyes with his thumb. "But, besides that… lying doesn't suit you Izuna…" Kyonosuke kissed her forehead, much like she had done when they were younger.

Izuna's face burned and Kyonosuke only smiled wider as Izuna stammered, "S-shut up… you idiot…" She leaned her head against Kyonosuke's shoulder and took hold of his hand.

"I told you so…" Kyonosuke smiled.

The smile made its way to Izuna's face as the two sat together and stared out at the side garden; and, for the first time in long while, the two were completely at peace.

_Looks like I didn't need your trump card after all, Nii-sama…_ Izuna thoughts drifted to the piece of paper that still held its place in her pocket and would probably never be used for its initial purpose.

The tiny piece of Tanabata wish paper that read:

_I wish Kyon would realize who cares about him the most: Kao-nii, Ryusuke Nii-sama… and me…  
-Izuna_

* * *

Well, I am soooo sorry for the slow update on this chapter - I had two tests to study for and a project due tomorrow… but this just sounds like me making excuses. I'm really relieved that I got this chapter out this weekend and I still hope people are reading this story; despite my updating problems. Other than that, this had a little less drama and a whole lot more fluff, but the lingering questions still lie with _"What happened to Tohru's beads?"_; _"Will Tohru ever wake up to realize that Kaoru is actually Kozue?"_; _"And, if Tohru wakes up, will her beads be with her, or would we have to go through all of this again?"_ I'm not good with 'surprising' kiss scenes, as you can clearly see in this chapter, so I'm apologizing for that too. Looking forward to more of those great reviews and any comments on how I'm doing and thoughts about the story! Thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter!


	37. To Make Her Smile

Chapter 36: To Make Her Smile

The sound of the sliding door getting thrust open made Rin cringe slightly.

"Miya-chan…!" Torahku exclaimed as he ran passed the confused Rin and into the dojo.

Akane stood at the door, bowing her head slightly. "Forgive our… well, Torahku's intrusion anyway…" Akane shrugged. "I'm sorry we couldn't come yesterday evening, but we were all kind of tired."

"That was quite the rude awakening…" Rin joked, "Where are the others? I know Ryusuke got called over by Izuna-chan early this morning…"

"Sarutoubi-kun and Michiko-chan ran off somewhere after breakfast." Akane explained.

"And… how is Tohru?" Rin said hopefully.

Akane forced a slight smile of meaningless reassurance. "You know what Izu-chana or Michiko-chan would say…"

"But…" Rin prodded as Akane looked to the floor.

Rin knew all she needed to and nodded, "I see…" before leading the distraught snake to where Torahku had run off.

The tiger-boy was looking around, frantic enough to make Akane face-palm. "What is it, Torahku?"

It didn't take long for Akane to notice, however, that Torahku had every right to panic. The poor Kana lay on a mat, fast asleep but tossing and turning, and mumbling something incomprehensible. Haruhi was lying on a mat as well, but with her leg propped up and bandaged on a short stool.

_That's two,_ Akane thought, _but…_

"W-where's Miya-chan?"

As Akane recalled, Himemiya got sick after being in the rain for so long. She scanned the room for signs of the sheep, but came empty-handed.

Rin put a hand on the anxious Torahku's shoulder. "Don't worry yourself; it wasn't anything serious... well, compared to these two anyway. She was doing fine when Tarumi-chan came to pick her up. I'm sure all she needs is a little rest."

He breathed a sigh of relief before his phone rang suddenly. He whipped it out and frowned at the caller ID.

Akane's eyebrows furrowed; afraid of the answer to her own question: "W-who is it…?"

But, Torahku was already on the phone. "Hello, Kaoru? How's Mizunashi-chan?"

Rin stood quickly and locked eyes with Akane before the two turned to Torahku simultaneously.

"I… I see…" the tiger nodded into the phone as the two women waited in unbearable anticipation.

When Torahku hung up the phone, Akane was the first to speak. "Well…? How's Tohru-chan?"

Torahku looked anywhere but their eyes as he muttered. "N-not better… Chikarai Oba-chan says that she's still trying to 'mentally overcome' something. B-but Kaoru said that it would be alright if we came to visit her." He smiled slightly, "He thinks that we would all be able to help Mizunashi-chan recover."

Rin smiled fondly. "That's a first for Kaoru-kun…"

Akane nodded. "Yeah, it is… Kao-chan's never asked anyone for anything. Tohru-chan has certainly worked wonders on him."

Torahku gave them a smile before turning on his heel towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Akane asked.

"I'm going to bring Miya-chan to see Mizunashi-chan, what else? And, I have to make sure she's okay anyway. Two birds with one stone, I guess…"

"You _do_ know that Tarumi-chan will skin you alive when she sees you, don't you?"

Torahku looked back for a moment and then shook his head. "Yeah I know… But seeing Mizunashi-chan'll make Miya-chan smile. And, Tarumi-chan can't deny me from that, can she?"

Akane smiled proudly after the tiger had left her and Rin to tend to the other two girls. "And here I thought that he was only taking care of Himemiya to gain some points with Tarumi-chan."

"You're too hard on him Akane-chan…" Rin sighed.

"I have to be…" she stated matter-of-factly, "I'm taming him after all…"

* * *

Tarumi stood quickly and shot him the most displeased look as she saw him approach their house. "Oh no, you don't…! Don't even dare to try and flirt with me after what you did to Hime!"

Oddly, in Tarumi's eyes, Torahku wasn't wearing his usual smirk, which he usually had on whenever he visited to talk with her, which was an often enough occurrence.

But no, to Tarumi, Torahku looked nothing like he usually did. For one thing, she thought, he was _serious_. His usually playful or trying-to-be-charming yellow eyes had become sharp and determined-looking; much to Tarumi's initial shock. Then, Tarumi noted, there was his walk; usually characterized with a sort of 'playboy-wannabe' stride, it was now straight and, just as his look was, very determined, like a man on a mission.

An inner-part of Tarumi's mind almost thought he looked kind of cool for the briefest of moments, before the rest of her mind ganged up on the thought and destroyed it.

She shook her head; she was mad at this idiot for putting Himemiya's life in danger. She had no time to gape at his 'trying-too-hard' coolness.

Lost in her thoughts for a moment, she hadn't noticed that the tiger had walked right passed her and was nearing the front door she had idiotically left wide open when she stepped outside.

"H-hey…! Don't just ignore me! You can't go in there!"

"Look Tarumi-chan, I'm just here to see Miya-chan right now."

Her face reddened slightly at the fact that she was _disappointed_ he said that. She tried to shake it loose from her head. "T-there's no way I'm letting you see her!"

"Is she alright…?" he asked with, Tarumi noticed, genuine concern in his voice.

"S-she's fine." She nodded, "B-but you can't just…"

"So what's the problem then?" Torahku asked as he turned to face her.

She crossed her arms, standing her ground. "You brought her out into the forest, in the pouring rain, for hours! You're lucky she's alright because, I swear, I would've killed you if anything happened to her!"

"You don't think I hate myself for that too?" Torahku recoiled, much to Tarumi's surprise. "We may not agree on much, or… anything really." He shrugged. "But, we both love Himemiya and right now… I don't really care what you say. This is all for Miya-chan's sake, not yours and not mine."

He turned his back on Tarumi; fully knowing that she would probably never speak to him again. _No…_ he shook his head as he entered Himemiya's room with Tarumi trailing close behind; _apologies can wait. Right now it's about Miya-chan and Mizunashi-chan…_

"T-Torah-nii…?" a weak voice questioned from inside the room.

"Hey Miya-chan," his voice was suddenly quiet, "how're you feeling?"

"Better…" she muttered as Torahku walked up to her bed and knelt down beside it.

"Well, are you 'better' enough to come with me to visit Tohru?" He saw Himemiya's eyes light up at the mention of her cousin's name.

"Y-you think I'm going to allow you to bring her out _again!_" Tarumi, who, as angry as she was at Torahku, did not want to disturb Himemiya, exclaimed.

"I didn't ask for your permission…" he told her as he lifted Himemiya onto his back and walked passed her.

"Sorry, Tarumi-chan…" He took a glance back at her and sighed. "Maybe I'll never make _you_ smile." He shrugged. "But… can I at least have a chance at making Miya-chan smile?"

"I-I…"

"Please Tarumi-nee-chan?" Himemiya asked softly, completely melting Tarumi's anger and causing her to step aside and let them pass.

"Nice one Miya-chan…" Torahku laughed as he walked out of their house.

Tarumi was silent in shock as she watched Torahku walk away with Himemiya on his back. She sighed and glanced at the ground, suddenly noticing a small piece of paper that had fluttered out of Torahku's pocket.

"Stupid idiot… littering all over my house…" she muttered to herself as she picked the Tanabata paper up and read it.

Her eyes widened as she glanced at the path where Torahku and her sister had already disappeared to.

She sighed, shaking her head with a complex expression on her face. "To marry that idiot…? Is that really what you want, Hime?"

* * *

Well, I apologize for the slow update, but I've got a steady pace going so be sure to check back every weekend for new chapters. (Did I mention I hate the little free-time I have, or was it implied?) Tarumi's a tough character to portray because, I guess, she loves her sister too much to really see anything else clearly. I think I based her off of Sango from Inuyasha (though, in _that_ case, it would be Kohaku instead of Himemiya). And, as for her relationship with Torahku, it's obviously Sango and Miroku. (I mean, who _can't_ see just a little Miroku in Torahku? But Torahku wouldn't go as far as asking women to 'bear his children'; *coughMIROKUcough*.) Anyway, since it's a long weekend, I'm pretty confident that I can get another chapter out by tomorrow, so please look forward to that! Hope to get some more great reviews and I also hope everyone has a happy thanksgiving! See you in the next chapter!


	38. Great Expectations, Huh?

Chapter 37: Great Expectations, Huh?

It was an extremely tense ride to the hospital in Daisuke's van. It was near impossible not to sense the anxiousness in the man's eyes as he drove. Sitting next to him was his, equally anxious, wife and mother of Tohru. In the seats behind, Ryusuke glared an icy, calculating glare out the window as he leaned against the armrest. Izuna and Kyonosuke, clutching hands together tightly, were next on the list of impatient teens; and after them were Torahku and Sarutoubi, and the extremely fidgety Michiko who couldn't seem to sit still. In fact, the only calm one, aside from Ryusuke and Sarutoubi, was the young Himemiya Sohma, as she sat on Torahku's lap, cradled in her cousin's arms.

No one dared to speak a word, all caught up in their individual thoughts, which all centered on the wavering cat-girl.

The most intriguing thought, however, belonged to Daisuke; father of said cat. Though he was as worried as anyone over Tohru's condition, he couldn't help but marvel at the rest of the family and their reactions. The zodiac members, who had only known his daughter for a few days at the most, cared for her as if they had known her for ages. Peering into the rear-view mirror, he could see their anxious faces, worried expressions; the slightest of which, though very hard to spot, on the icy Ryusuke's face - a rare occurrence indeed, Daisuke noted.

Michiko's relationship with Tohru was probably the most understandable; since Michiko had practically _lived_ off of the old Tohru's every word. And, at the time just before Tohru and Kyo's death, Michiko had been the only one with them, the one who had called the rest of the elders, and the ambulance, for help. Daisuke's mind drifted to that moment in the forest that happened not even a day ago. Michiko, God knows why, jumped out in front of the deadly transformed-Tohru, begging her to come home and revert back to the Tohru Michiko loved; and, when it was all over, or when they _assumed _it was in this case, Michiko was the first to run to Tohru's side, not wanting to loose yet _another_ Tohru in front of her very eyes. Michiko's love for _both _Tohru's was clearer than humanly possible.

The rest of the family, however, was a completely different story. Sarutoubi, Daisuke thought; _well, he could befriend anyone with a personality like that._ Torahku; _he _was_ known to be a skirt-chaser, but, against my better judgement, he had better have _some_ respect for my daughter._ Izuna;_ she was quick to emulate Akane when she saw traits that she liked, so Tohru wouldn't be any different, no?_ As for the three girls; _they would follow anything Izuna said, though they probably each have a reason of their own for liking Tohru so much, _which went for Kyonosuke as well.

It was Ryusuke and Akane that got to him as he pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Those two have always been on another level compared to the rest of the family. Their role as the _'mother and father of the zodiac'_ was coveted and respected; but, to Daisuke's wonder, the two had suddenly taken an interest in Tohru, and the man couldn't understand why.

Michiko slid her door open and was the first out of the van, followed by an, equally anxious, Izuna, who had Kyonosuke's arm in tow as she dragged him towards the front doors of the hospital. Torahku, calmer than the first two, lifted Himemiya up onto his shoulders and ran to catch up with the two girls; while Ryusuke held the door open for a, much too caught up in her own thoughts to notice, Akane.

"I'm off to park." Daisuke waved Hitomi off as, finally, she ran to catch up with the others.

"Tohru-chan…!"

Michiko slammed the door open and ran head first into the chest of a tired-looking horse-boy.

Michiko rubbed her head as she stared up at Kaoru. "S-sorry there Kao-nii…"

Kaoru smiled. "Glad you could make it Mii-chan."

Izuna peered into the door with eyebrows furrowed. "Two visitors at a time, huh?" she pouted, "that's hardly fair, don't you think Kao-nii?"

"It's not like she's going anywhere." Kaoru said with a light, very unfitting for the situation, smile. "You'll just have to be patient, Izuna-chan."

"Fine, fine… I'll just talk to Chikarai Oba-chan for the time being." the 'wolf' sighed as she closed the door silently.

Kaoru nodded before leading his younger cousin to Tohru's bedside. The rabbit nearly sprinted to her older cousin's side and stared hard at the unconscious Tohru's face.

"S-she doesn't look as pale anymore…" she noted as Kaoru took a seat at, Michiko could assume, his usual place.

"Yeah, her breathing's gotten normal too." Kaoru shrugged. "It'll only be a matter of time now, huh? More importantly…" He looked straight at Michiko. "Have you found her beads?"

Michiko looked shocked for a moment, but then her gaze dropped from Tohru's face to the floor; almost like a sad kid who just got caught for a prank he was sorry he pulled.

Kaoru's expression hardened. "So… that's a _no_ then?"

Michiko, for once extremely silent and solemn, nodded her head slowly. "I'm, like, sorry… seriously, Kao-nii. Sarutoubi-nii and I looked pretty much everywhere but we couldn't find them at all!"

"Not even in Kamina's room?"

She shook her head. "We looked there first, and then Tohru-chan's room because, maybe, Hitomi Oba-chan moved them there? Then we asked Kamicchi and he said he had no idea."

Kaoru nodded, taking all the information in. Then, strangely, he pulled a smile at his regretful younger cousin. "Well, you've just gotta keep looking, huh?"

Michiko stared confusedly at him; _was he in any position to smile at a time like this?_ But, her thoughts were interrupted by a knocking on the door and a muffled: "K-Kyon, don't disturb them!"

"You can come in." Kaoru called as Kyonosuke and Izuna stumbled into the room.

Kyonosuke waved slightly. "H-hey Kaoru nii-san…"

The horse nodded in acknowledgement as he got up and ushered Michiko out of the room with him.

Izuna sighed as she stared at Tohru on the hospital bed. "Oba-chan said that she's trying to overcome something mentally, right?"

"Yeah…?" Kyonosuke answered tentatively.

Izuna pursed her lips, "Hmm, what do think it is? Maybe we can try to help her."

Kyonosuke put a hand on Izuna's shoulder. It was great that she wanted to help, which was typical Izuna-behaviour, but Kyonosuke knew the reality. "As much as you want to, there are only two people who can help her now."

Izuna turned quickly to him, "W-who…?"

Kyonosuke pointed to the unconscious cat in the hospital bed. "Nee-chan, obviously, and..."

Izuna smiled. "Kao-nii, right…?"

Kyonosuke nodded, but then thought for a moment. "Well, actually, there probably is _one other_ person that could help nee-chan, if he decides to come out of hiding." The boar shook his head, "…like _that's_ at all possible."

"Katsuya…?"

Kyonosuke sighed. "His own sister is hospitalized because of him and he just runs away."

Izuna's eyebrows furrowed. "Let's bring him back." She muttered quietly.

"Hmm…? Sorry, what'd you say?"

Her eyes never strayed from Tohru's face as she repeated. "Let's bring Katsuya back."

"W-why…? He's already done this to nee-chan, and he won't even repent for it!"

"But he's family…" Izuna's words made Kyonosuke understand where she was coming from.

Izuna loved the Sohma family more than anything in the world, and Kyonosuke, as well as everyone else in the family, knew this as a fact. If anything was out of place, at all, she would do anything to set it straight and, in this case, it was Katsuya; but that was only the first reason.

Kyonosuke recalled the night before when Izuna reunited with Kamina. She cried and Kamina, though he wouldn't allow himself to shed tears, clutched onto his sister like he hadn't seen her in years, instead of just a couple of hours. Kyonosuke knew that Izuna loved her brother more than anything in the world. He could only imagine the thoughts she had on Katsuya and Tohru being separated at birth and never knowing the joy of having a sibling. Kyonosuke knew Izuna wanted to share that feeling with everyone, _including_ Tohru.

"We'll do whatever we have to." Izuna nodded, turning to Kyonosuke. "You'll help me, right Kyon?"

Kyonosuke bit his lip; he didn't want anything to do with Katsuya anymore, but Izuna was asking him. He shook his head decidedly. "Sorry Izuna, _I'm_ not the one to help you. If you're going to confront Katsuya… you'll need someone else."

Izuna wasn't angry at all; she understood why Katsuya wouldn't go. He was the boar, after all; one look at Katsuya and all of her boyfriend's anger would bubble up to the point where she probably couldn't control him.

She nodded determinedly at Kyonosuke before turning to Tohru one last time. "Don't worry Nee-chan. Your brother's coming here whether he likes it or not." And with that, she turned on her heel and practically stormed out of the door.

Kyonosuke sighed and shook his head jokingly as he walked over to the side of Tohru's bed. "Looks like there's nothing we can do to stop her, Nee-chan." He scoffed, "But, y'know Izuna, _sometimes _she's more of a stubborn boar than I am." He chuckled to himself as the door opened slowly.

"Forgot something, Izuna…?" Kyonosuke called, not looking up to see that his visitor was, in fact, _not_ his girlfriend.

"Hmm, Izuna-chan…? Didn't she storm out of here a second ago?"

Kyonosuke didn't look up, but he knew the voice: Dr. Yousuke Ishiyama, his and Ryusuke's father.

"I recall her leaving Akane in charge of taking care of Himemiya-chan while she towed Torahku and Sarutoubi out of the hospital with her." Another voice answered his dad's initial comment.

Kyonosuke's head darted up and he was stared straight at Ryusuke, who was standing alongside their father. His eyes narrowed. "I thought we were only allowed two visitors at a time."

Ryusuke scoffed as he leaned against one of the walls and Yousuke took a seat across Tohru in the bed from Kyonosuke.

"I don't think the doctor is quite considered a visitor when it comes to _his own_ patient, wouldn't you say, Kyonosuke?" Yousuke smiled.

Kyonosuke smiled back. He loved his dad and had always hoped to become a doctor like him someday; but everyone around him always said that Ryusuke would make a better candidate for succeeding their father, which only added to the piling reasons for Kyonosuke's hatred towards his brother.

Yousuke Ishiyama was a tall man with a striking resemblance to both Hatsuharu and Hattori Sohma, of the previous zodiac; as if the two were merged together to create this man. He had black hair like that of Hatori's, but his grey eyes were the very essence of Hatsuharu.

Yousuke worked alongside Chikarai Sohma, who was close childhood friends with Daisuke and Rin; which was how he had met Rin in the first place. Dr. Chikarai and he were the main doctors of the Sohma family, both understanding the curse very well; though, in his practices, Dr. Yousuke often took the more scientific or logical side of things, while Dr. Chikarai went for the humane and psychological reasoning; which sometimes caused conflict.

"Will Tohru-nee be alright…?" Kyonosuke asked, completely disregarding Ryusuke's presence in the room.

"I'm sure you've heard from Chikarai-san." Yousuke nodded. "Though _she_ is more focused on explaining it psychologically, I must admit that her theory stands."

Kyonosuke leaned his arm against the chair rest and his cheek against his fist as he stared at Tohru's face. "So, she's having a kind of subconscious obstacle in a dream as we speak?"

"Or so Chikarai-san says…" Yousuke nodded, looking to Ryusuke for a moment. "Besides that, Kyonosuke…"

"Yes dad…?"

Ryusuke stood straight, facing Kyonosuke, from the wall as Yousuke went on. "You're brother would like a word with you…"

"Why doesn't he just tell me himself…?" Kyonosuke muttered; hating how the conversation had, _yet again_, turned to Ryusuke. "Why do _you_ need to be brought into this, dad?"

Ryusuke shrugged, "Would you have listened if dad wasn't here?"

Kyonosuke pouted, averting his eyes from the two men. In his mind, he silently apologized to Tohru; if she was awake, she probably wouldn't want to be right in the middle of the next few minutes of conversation.

All hell was going to break loose, after all, since this was Kyonosuke first and final confrontation with the men who placed the most expectations on him.

_ Sorry you'll have to hear this, Tohru-nee. Hopefully that obstacle you're facing will distract you from what's going on out here._

* * *

I have a feeling that every A/N from now on is going to start with me apologizing for a late update. So, once again, sorry! I'm especially sorry this time since I said I could get this chapter up by last Monday, which was Thanksgiving. You'd seriously think I would've learned that "Thanksgiving" actually meant: "Hoards of family members come to raid your house"-day. (^_^) Also, I read the latest Bleach chapter and I _had_ to write a fanfic for it or I would've died of depression. But, besides those things, I'm glad I got this chapter up! Also, I'm posting a little 'extra' with this chapter, which isn't really part of the story line, but someone asked me to do it and (don't worry, I didn't forget) it just took a little time. We could call it an "Omake Chapter" I guess, but in reality it's just the character profiles. Enjoy them~!  
In terms of Kyonosuke, Ryusuke, and Yousuke's (see what I did there?) 'talk', well, I'm actually a little sketchy on how well this will play out so, please, bear with me here. Writer's block is a pain and a curse and pretty much the very embodiment of my annoyance. But, I have a plan for next chapter, which I think is cool, but well, we'll just have to see. For all those readers who are missing the Gaiden chapters, let's see if next chapter will be a good substitute. See you then!


	39. Omake 1: Character Sheets

In Memory Of: Character Sheet

Welcome to the "In Memory Of…" Character Sheets, (see? I didn't forget!) In this sort of "Omake Chapter" (or side-story), you'll find the zodiac characters named in order of the Chinese zodiac. Their profiles include their animal in the zodiac (in both English and Japanese), followed by a description of the animal itself, and any parts that relate to the actual character are **bolded**. Their hair and eye colour, and ages are given, as well as their immediate family members, friends and general people they don't get along with in the zodiac. Some personality traits and interests are also listed. Finally, their opinion on the curse in the story is given as either "For", "Against", "N/A" or "Neutral". This chapter may change as the story progresses so please be sure to check back if you forget something about a certain character. This is completely for your use as the reader so please, enjoy~! (And don't worry; I'm working on the new chapter now.) (^_^) V

* * *

**Kamina Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: God Spirit "Kami-sama" (_There are no official personality traits for the "God Spirit", though Kamina's personality differs greatly from his predecessor._) Previous God Spirit - Akito Sohma  
Appearance: black hair and dark-grey eyes  
Age: Twelve  
Personality Description: Kamina is known to have an inferiority complex and has troubles with the leading the clan, often looking to his sister, whom _he_ thinks should lead the clan, for help. Generally, he is very introverted, but extremely kind-hearted and is actually a strong leader; if he put his mind to it. Kamina is also a strong pacifist.  
Interests/Hobbies: Reading and playing with Michiko  
Family: Izuna Sohma (older sister) (_Parents died when they were younger - see Gaiden 2)_  
Friends: Michiko Sohma (rabbit); Kana Sohma (rooster); Kyonosuke Sohma (boar); Tohru Sohma (cat)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Katsuya (rat)  
Opinion on the Curse: Against the curse

**Katsuya Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Rat "Nezumi" (_Rats are __**ambitious**__, yet honest and are prone to spend freely. The __**seldom make lasting friendships**__ and are __**least compatible with horses**__._) Previous rat - Yuki Sohma  
Appearance: Blood red hair and grey eyes  
Age: Fourteen  
Personality Description: Katsuya is stubborn and often lets his anger blind him from obvious things. He acts more on a spur of the moment and usually regrets it later on; unless he firmly believes he is right. He is known to show a soft-side of himself to Haruhi, and he is more laid-back when around Kaoru or Katsuya (pre-Tohru). He also shows great respect for adults or anyone he considers superior, and is known to hold a grudge.  
Interests/Hobbies: Martial arts, especially Karate and Judo  
Family: Daisuke Sohma (father); Hitomi Mizunashi (mother); Tohru Sohma (younger twin sister)  
Friends: Kaoru (horse); Haruhi (cow); Katsuya (boar)  
Doesn't Get Along with: Michiko (rabbit); Tohru (cat)  
Opinion on the Curse: For the curse

**Haruhi Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Cow "Ushi" (_Cows are __**bright**__, patient and __**inspiring**__ to others. They can be happy by themselves and yet, make great parents. They are close with snakes and __**roosters**__._) Previous Cow - Hatsuharu Sohma  
Appearance: Long black hair with white tips and large black eyes  
Age: Seven  
Personality Description: As with Hatsuharu, Haruhi has two sides, though she has only gone "black" twice in her life. Out of the three girls, she is the most laid-back and flexible, and she often speaks informally. Though, when needs be, she is very respectful and obedient; which comes from her martial arts training. Unless she turns "black" she is never without a smile on her face.  
Interests/Hobbies: Martial arts (though, she was _forced_ into them) and playing with the other two girls, predominantly soccer  
Family: Tsuyokuro Hiizumi (father); Chikarai Sohma (mother)  
Friends: Katsuya (rat); Kana (rooster); Himemiya (sheep); Izuna (dog); Kyonosuke (boar); Tohru (cat)  
Doesn't Get Along With: N/A  
Opinion on the Curse: N/A

**Torahku Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Tiger "Tora" (_Tigers are __**aggressive**__, courageous, candid and sensitive._) Previous Tiger - Kisa Sohma  
Appearance: Reddish-brown hair and yellow eyes  
Age: Sixteen  
Personality Description: Known throughout the family as a shameless 'skirt-chaser', Torahku is slightly egotistic, cocky, dense and very persistent. He clearly has a friendly side, as Sarutoubi and Himemiya know, but not many other people in the family ever see it. In truth, the main reason for his "skirt-chasing" is that he loves to see girls smile. And, though he's quick to flirt with girls, Tohru included, he would stop everything in a heartbeat for Tarumi, Himemiya's older sister.  
Interests/Hobbies: Flirting with girls, talking about himself, and video games  
Family: Hikite Sohma (father)  
Friends: Sarutoubi (monkey); Himemiya (sheep); Tohru (cat)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Kaoru (horse); Katsuya (rat)  
Opinion on the Curse: Against the curse

**Michiko Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Rabbit "Usagi" (_Luckiest of all signs, they are also __**talented and articulate**__. Rabbit's are __**affectionate**__, yet shy, and they __**seek peace**__ throughout their lives._) Previous Rabbit - Momiji Sohma  
Appearance: Brown hair and blue eyes  
Age: Twelve  
Personality Description: The best word to describe Michiko would be _hyper_. She is almost always jumping around and her high-speed speech pattern often involves useless adjectives and nouns. Though, there are times when she knows she needs to be serious, and she acts accordingly. She is caring and a pacifist, just like Kamina. However, when Michiko is reminded of bitter memories (usually dealing with the death of people close to her), she becomes very tense and distressed, almost seeming like a completely different person.  
Interests/Hobbies: Playing outside with Kamina, pretending to go on 'adventures', learning about Sohma history (especially the 'romantic' parts), and playing matchmaker with other people in the family  
Family: Genkiro Sohma (father); Yasashiru Gouki (mother)  
Friends: Kaoru (horse); Tohru (cat); Kamina (God spirit); Sarutoubi (monkey)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Katsuya (rat)  
Opinion on the Curse: Against the curse (but tells Kamina the opposite, to annoy him)

**Ryusuke Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Dragon "Ryu" (_Dragons tend to be __**eccentric**__ and their lives are __**complicated and complex**__. They have a very __**passionate nature**__ and abundant health. __**Not compatible with dogs**__ in the zodiac._) Previous Dragon - Hatori Sohma  
Appearance: Dark purple hair and red eyes  
Age: Seventeen  
Personality Description: Very calculating, Ryusuke is possibly the smartest person in the clan. Outwardly, he is usually seen as stoic and refined; which usually irritates Kyonosuke. Ryusuke's personality was only noted to change in the slightest when he is around Akane. Very little gets on Ryusuke's nerves, but when things do, it's near impossible to tell. In fact, it's near impossible to tell what he's thinking most of the time. When he has chosen to follow something, he will stick through with it, regardless of what anyone else says. Though it doesn't seem so, especially to Kyonosuke, Ryusuke cares very deeply for his younger brother and the well-being of the clan.  
Interests/Hobbies: People watching and reading  
Family: Yousuke Ishiyama (father); Rin Sohma (mother); Kyonosuke Sohma (younger brother)  
Friends: Akane Sohma (snake); Sarutoubi Sohma (monkey); Kaoru Sohma (horse)  
Doesn't Get Along With: N/A  
Opinion on the Curse: Neutral

**Akane Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Snake "Hebi" (_**Wise**__ and __**intense**__ with a tendency towards physical __**beauty**__. Snakes are sometimes vain and high tempered._) Previous Snake - Ayame Sohma  
Appearance: Green hair and purple eyes  
Age: Seventeen  
Personality Description: Akane is intelligent and extremely refined and lady-like. She seldom smiles and _hates_ being compared to her predecessor. Inwardly, she cares deeply for everyone in the family, especially Kaoru and Izuna. She sees Sarutoubi and Torahku as the most troublesome of the family, (though her thoughts on Sarutoubi have changed after they brought Tohru back) and she often uses the term "taming" when she acts cruel to them. Sometimes, however, her intellect gets in the way of her rational mind and she becomes uncharacteristically oblivious. She doesn't like being told what to do, and yet, she follows Ryusuke without question.  
Interests/Hobbies: Reading  
Family: N/A (_Lives alone, taken care of by Ryusuke's family and the elders_)  
Friends: Ryusuke (dragon); Izuna (dog); Kaoru (horse); Tohru (cat); Sarutoubi (monkey); Kyonosuke (boar)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Torahku (tiger); Katsuya (rat)  
Opinion on the Curse: Against the curse

**Kaoru Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Horse "Uma" (_Popular, __**well-known**__ and __**attractive**__. Horses tend to be __**ostentatious**__, impatient and selfish; but also __**cunning**__,__** cheerful**__ and __**adventurous**__._) Previous Horse: Isuzu "Rin" Sohma  
Appearance: Dark brown hair and reddish brown eyes  
Age: Fourteen  
Personality Description: Kaoru is known best for his plastic smile, which he often wears to mask his innermost feelings and that most people pay no attention to. Before Tohru arrived, Kaoru only talked to select people and was ranked 'most mysterious' of the clan. Torahku was the first to spot that, after being with Tohru, Kaoru's personality had changed. He had become more open to talking and even asked for help from the family; something, Akane knew, he had never done before. He is very vague when answering questions; though it isn't known if he is purposely doing it (Tohru thinks he is). He also has the ability to stay generally calm when things don't go right; unless, of course, they involve Tohru.  
Interests/Hobbies: Annoying Tohru, interested in law and Sohma history, martial arts (Karate and Aikido), track and field  
Family: N/A (_Lives with some of the elders since birth; initially taken care of by previous zodiac members)_  
Friends: Katsuya (rat); Tohru (cat); Michiko (rabbit); Kyonosuke (boar); Akane (snake)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Torahku (tiger)  
Opinion on the Curse: Against the curse

**Himemiya Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Sheep "Hitsuji" (_**Elegant**__ and creative, sheep are __**timid**__ and __**prefer anonymity**__._) Previous Sheep - Hiro Sohma  
Appearance: light-blue hair and silver (nearly white) eyes  
Age: Seven  
Personality Description: Himemiya is quiet, introverted, very respectful and shy. She is very frail and became ill a number of times when she was younger. She follows Torahku along because he teaches her how to be more extroverted. Although she often has trouble getting her voice across, she is the unquestionable voice of reason for the three girls. She is very observant and intelligent for a girl her age and she always notices traits and trends concerning others in the zodiac. But, she is too afraid to say anything until curiosity gets the better of her.  
Interests/Hobbies: Reading, playing with Haruhi and Kana, and hanging around Torahku or Tarumi  
Family: Tarumi Sohma (older sister)  
Friends: Kana (rooster); Haruhi (cow); Izuna (dog); Kyonosuke (boar); Tohru (cat); Torahku (tiger)  
Doesn't Get Along With: N/A  
Opinion on the Curse: N/A

**Sarutoubi Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Monkey "Saru" (_Monkeys are __**extremely intelligent**__ and are able to __**influence many people**__. They are enthusiastic __**achievers**__, but are easily discouraged and __**confused**__._) Previous Monkey - Ritsu Sohma  
Appearance: Light brown hair and amber eyes  
Age: Sixteen  
Personality Description: On the outside, Sarutoubi is a laid-back, scatterbrained, oblivious fool with no sense of responsibility. He is as apologetic as the previous monkey and has an extreme wanderlust. But, on the inside, Sarutoubi has a mind that could rival even Ryusuke's. He is a genius beyond comparison and beats an average of 15 video games daily. Although, the part about his wanderlust is, in fact, true. He sees the world in terms of a video game and acts accordingly. The first to discover this was Torahku, Sarutoubi's best friend; but besides him, no one else knew of the real Sarutoubi (though it wouldn't be surprising to the monkey if Ryusuke knew). But despite his calculating nature, Sarutoubi is far beyond cruelty or being cynical, rather he uses his intellect for the better of the family (indiscreetly, of course).  
Interests/Hobbies: Putting up his façade, people-watching, playing video games  
Family: Mamoru Sohma (father); Shiori Hanabishi (mother); Chihiro Sohma (younger sister)  
Friends: Torahku (tiger); Ryusuke (dragon); Michiko (rabbit); Kaoru (horse)  
Doesn't Get Along With: N/A  
Opinion on the Curse: Neutral

**Kana Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Rooster "Ondori" (_Rooster's are __**pioneer's in spirit**__ and are __**devoted**__ to work and __**quest for knowledge**__. They can be __**selfish**__ and eccentric at times.)_ Previous Rooster - Kureno Sohma  
Appearance: Red hair and brown eyes  
Age: Seven  
Personality Description: Kana was a natural-born leader. Just like her hair, she has a fiery passion to become stronger, as both a leader and person. She emulates Izuna as much as the latter did to Akane when she was younger. She is the unbridled leader of the three girls and, as any good leader should, she has the utmost care for them; taking the place of Izuna when she isn't around. Kana puts her friends before anything and everything; and she always strives to better herself for her group's benefit. She even went as far as to ask Haruhi to teach her martial arts, though the cow refused. Kana is the embodiment of 'self-reliant' women.  
Interests/Hobbies: Playing with Haruhi and Himemiya and having 'leadership' lessons with Izuna and Kamina  
Family: Haretake Ondori (father); Yasuko Sohma (mother)  
Friends: Haruhi (cow); Himemiya (sheep); Izuna (dog); Kyonosuke (boar); Kamina (God spirit); Tohru (cat); Akane (snake)  
Doesn't Get Along With: N/A  
Opinion on the Curse: N/A

**Izuna Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Dog "Inu" (_**Loyal**__ and __**honest**__, dogs __**work extremely well with others**__. They are __**generous**__, but __**stubborn**__ and often seem selfish._) Previous Dog - Shigure Sohma  
Appearance: silver-ish (nearly white) hair and golden eyes  
Age: Thirteen  
Personality Description: Izuna places her family above everything else in life and would go to any lengths to keep everyone safe and happy. Out of the entire zodiac, Izuna's personality seems closest to her animal; being loyal, obedient and honest. Once she knows she can trust you, it will never leave her mind. She also loves her brother dearly and wished all the best for him; even though she knows he has somewhat of an inferiority complex to her. She emulates Akane and used to call her 'sensei' when she was younger. She respects how Ryusuke and Akane were so refined and collected compared to others in the family. She also has a newly-found respect for Sarutoubi, after seeing the true side of him.  
Interests/Hobbies: Teaching her brother and Kana how to be good leaders, taking care of the younger members, hanging around Ryusuke, Akane and Kyonosuke  
Family: Kamina Sohma (younger brother) (_Parents died when they were younger - see Gaiden 2)_  
Friends: Kyonosuke (boar); Akane (snake); Tohru (cat); Kana (rooster); Haruhi (cow); Himemiya (sheep); Kaoru (horse); Ryusuke (dragon)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Katsuya (rat)  
Opinion on the Curse: Neutral

**Kyonosuke Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Boar "Buta" (_Noble and __**chivalrous**__, the boar will have __**lifelong friends**__; though, boars are prone to __**marital strife**__._) Previous Boar - Kagura Sohma  
Appearance: Black hair and brown eyes  
Age: Thirteen  
Personality Description: When it comes to the emotions inside of Kyonosuke, it's always to the extremities. He hates his older brother Ryusuke with a passion that just won't die. But, at the same time, he loves Izuna with his entire being, always wanting to be 'her knight'. He's very kind and generous, which was influenced by him hanging around Kaoru. Katsuya also influenced him, but more towards liking the curse and strengthening his hatred for his brother. Kyonosuke is easily swayed and very trustworthy but, like a boar, he is headstrong, stubborn, and a little self-conscious.  
Interests/Hobbies: Being with Izuna, taking care of the three, hanging around Katsuya and Kaoru, and learning from his dad  
Family: Yousuke Ishiyama (father); Rin Sohma (mother); Ryusuke Sohma (older brother)  
Friends: Izuna (dog); Katsuya (rat); Kaoru (horse); Kana (rooster); Himemiya (sheep); Haruhi (cow); Akane (snake)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Ryusuke (dragon)  
Opinion on the Curse: For the curse

**Tohru Sohma**  
Zodiac Position: Cat "Neko" (_There is also no set personality traits for the cat. And, just like Kamina, Tohru's personality greatly differs from Kyo's._) Previous Cat - Kyo Sohma  
Appearance: Red hair and violet eyes  
Age: Fourteen  
Personality Description: Tohru was unsure of herself before she arrived at the Sohma estate. Her mother had taught her to be weary of others and she started creating walls around herself. Kaoru helped her break down those walls as she opened up and became more of her true-self around members of the zodiac. She is extremely kind-hearted, but she has a smart mouth and she is known to be sarcastic with a short temper (a trait she most likely got from Kyo). She also holds grudges and gets embarrassed easily, often using anger to mask it (also like Kyo). She is very in-tune with her feelings (most of the time) and is known to give deep answers to, normally difficult, questions.  
Interests/Hobbies: Interested in law, martial arts (Aikido and Tae Kwon Do), and Sohma history  
Family: Daisuke Sohma (father); Hitomi Mizunashi (mother); Katsuya Sohma (older twin brother)  
Friends: Kaoru (horse); Akane (snake); Izuna (dog); Michiko (rabbit)  
Doesn't Get Along With: Katsuya (rat)  
Opinion on the Curse: N/A

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed learning more about the characters and that you'll refer to this page whenever you need to~! Don't worry, the next chapter will be one with an actual storyline and I'm working on it now. See you then (^_^)


	40. My Name is Tohru

Chapter 39: My Name Is Tohru

_I awoke in a park, a park I knew _way_ too well._

_ I, for whatever reason, was lying on my back in the grass, with my arms sprawled out. My head felt like it was hit repeatedly with a sledgehammer and my thoughts were fuzzy._

_ Where am I? was my first thought; which was followed closely by: Where _was_ I? Because, between my head throbbing and my hazy memory, I couldn't figure out what had brought me here in the first place._

_ But I got up from my grassy bed nonetheless and, immediately, I knew exactly where I was. Like I said: it was a simple park; but one that I've seen over and over again._

_ I walked along the pathway that winded through it with great attention to my surroundings; it never hurt to be completely sure that I knew where I was, after all. There were a couple of soccer fields off on the left side of the pathway, and a picnic area to the right side with a bunch of shady trees that most kids love to sit under. If one walked far enough down the pathway, they would reach a forest filled with giant trees that regularly blocked the sun and, to a kid, made it seem like a completely other world._

_ Over by the soccer fields, there was a situation going on involving a group of kids bullying this three-year-old boy and his dog. It looked like two of his older friends or something, a calm-looking boy and a girl with long green hair, had come to his aid so I walked along and sighed to myself; _I_ knew what it was like to be bullied for being different so I definitely felt sorry for that kid. But why would you get bullied over a dog? I could only wonder._

_ On my right, a couple of families were out having picnics. A smirked a little, remembering all of the times I had fun running around this park or going for walks with… Okay, so I've only been on walks here by myself, since I'm a little lacking in the friend department but…_

"Tohru-chan and I were just out for a walk and she wanted to come and say hi, didn't you Tohru-chan?"

_ I paused for a moment, shaking my head. W-was that some sort of vision? The words rang so clearly in my head and I could vaguely see some sort of image flash in my mind. It was a boy's voice, for sure, kind of calm and really fake-sounding, like he was acting or something._

_ Even though it was only for a split second, I recognized this park in the background of the vision and the boy… seemed kind of familiar. Was it possible that I _have_ come here with a friend and not remembered?_

_ I started getting a pounding headache and stopped walking to steady myself. It was odd. I'd never had random headaches like this before._

_ But, I didn't have time to ponder the fact much, since I suddenly felt something tugging at the back of my shirt._

_ I turned slowly to the image of a young girl, around the age of five, staring bright violet-eyed at me. Her mouth dropped when she saw my face and she bowed to me, saying, "Oh, s-sorry Miss… I thought you were my mom…"_

_ I smiled sympathetically, which seemed to calm her down a little, as I bent down to her eye-level. I could see why she mistook me for her mother, after all, she and I had nearly the exact hair-colour, though hers was slightly lighter, and I could assume that her mother had the same hair colour. "Lost, huh…?" I questioned her._

_She shook her head, "Nu-uh… My mommy's the one who got lost!"_

_ I laughed and the little girl smiled at me. "Tell you what kid; I'll help you look for your mom, okay?"_

_ She nodded with enthusiasm as I rubbed her head with my hand. "My name's…" I paused and it suddenly dawned on me._

I had no idea what my own name was.

_ What? What was going on? I honestly couldn't recall my own name? In fact, I couldn't recall exactly who I was at all. But, damn, the little girl was blinking at me so I _had_ to say something. Think, whoever you are, think!_

"_Nodeko…" I said, quickly naming the first thing that popped in my head._

"_I'll call you Neko-chi!" the young girl pointed at me._

"_H-huh…?"_

_She smiled brightly at me. "I took away the 'o-d' from your name and made you 'Neko-chi'!"_

"_N-Neko, huh…?"_

"I like you Neko-chan! You're pretty funny!"

_ These visions were really starting to get to me. This time, I couldn't tell where it took place and the voice, still both a male's and very familiar, but it didn't hold the same kind of warmth that the previous one had._

_ I shook my head and offered my hand to the little girl. "C-c'mon kid, let's find your mom, okay?" _

_ She grabbed hold of it and walked off with me, suddenly much happier, as if I actually was her mother._

_ I guess to everyone around us, especially the people who were giving me and her waves and smiles, thought we made a good sibling pair. I mean, she looked so much like I did, it seemed possible. But, unfortunately for me, there was some feeling inside me that said I just _didn't_ have any siblings._

_ Having a sibling would be nice though; I remember deciding that when I was younger. But a younger sibling wasn't really what I was hoping for. I'd always wanted an older sibling, and, preferably, an older brother._

_ Never really understood why an older brother was so important to me, but I knew I wanted one. From what I remember, I wasn't anywhere close to my dad, so I guess I'd always hoped for _another_ form of boy-influence; and, now that I think about it, I can't even recall what my dad looked like._

_ And, I found this thought process kind of ironic, since I could recall all of this small familial details, while I _still_ can't remember my own name._

_ I looked down at the kid who had my arm in tow and was pointing things out in the park as if it were the first time she had seen any of them._

"_Neko-chi, look at that!"_

"_Oh-oh, when we find my mom, we should get ice cream, shouldn't we, Neko-chi?"_

_I smiled slightly; it looked like I was Neko-chi for the time being._

"_Look Neko-chi, it's a kitty!"_

_ I snapped out of my thoughts just in time to notice the kid run further ahead of me and straight to an orange-coloured kitten._

_ Something inside my head reminded me how much of a sucker for animals - cats especially - I was. I ran to catch up with the kid and bent down to pet the cat._

"_How cute…" I smiled._

"_Let's name it…!" the kid suggested before I had the chance to. She bundled up the kitten in her arms and gave it a good look before nodding._

"_Let's call it Kyo." We both said in unison._

"Kyo, huh, interesting choice of name; any reason behind it?"

_ There went those visions again. I was seriously getting used to them by now. I could tell that this voice, still a male, was the same person as my first vision, but the background looked kind of like a familiar school courtyard; one that I _should_ know, but didn't._

"_Jinx, you owe me a soda!" the kid laughed as she petted the newly named kitten and, once again, snapped me out of my thoughts. "How'd you know I was gonna say that Neko-chi? Are you psychic or something?"_

"_Nah," I shook my head, "Orange just…"_

"_Reminds you of the name 'Kyo', right?" the girl smiled._

_ Just then, "Kyo" stirred in the little girl's grasp and suddenly jumped from her arms and scampered away._

"_Aww… he's gone." The girl pouted as she clutched a string of beads around her neck; one that I had only noticed now._

"_That's…" I eyed the beads of black and white around her neck that her hand was stroking, "…an interesting looking necklace you have there, kid…"_

"_H-huh…?" she pulled at the string of the necklace, "You mean this?" She shrugged, "It's nothing really. I've had it ever since I was born. Why do you ask?"_

_ That necklace looked so familiar to me and I practically swore that I had one just like it… hanging around my neck… right now…_

"_I have a necklace just like that."_

"_Really…? My mom said that it was one-of-a-kind."_

_ I was growing more and more confused by the second. "N-no, look it's right here around my neck…" I put my hand to my neck and realized it was bare. My eyes widened with shock. "E-Ehh…?"_

"_W-what…? I don't see anything." The girl blinked. "No-way, can this necklace turn invisible or something?"_

_ I was in too much panic to really hear her musings. If there was _one_ thing I still remembered about myself, it was, for sure, my mom constantly telling me to leave my necklace on. I never really understood why, but when you're three years old, you tend not to care about such boring things._

_Suddenly, the most horrific vision played in her mind._

"K-Kyonosuke-san, what… what are you doing?"

"Forgive me… Tohru Onee-san…"

_ In the vision, I watched as a familiar-looking boy ripped the necklace off of my neck while I was being held back by another familiar-looking boy. And then, in horror, I saw my body transform into some hideous looking creature just before the vision faded._

_ I would've screamed at the top of my lungs, had it not been for the young girl tugging at my shirt. "A-are you alright Neko-chi? Maybe we should look for your necklace, if it means that much to you."_

_ I blinked a couple of times, making sure that I was back in reality. This was the first vision where I actually saw _myself_. So did that mean it really happened? A part of my mind could scarcely recall something like that but the rest of the lump of grey matter refused to comply._

_ I smiled wearily at the girl's worried expression "N-no, it's fine kid… I was just caught off guard is all…"_

_The young girl smiled back at me and nodded her head. "If you say so, Neko-chi…"_

"_Thank God I've found you!" we heard someone exclaim from behind us._

_We both turned around and muttered in unison. "Mom…?"_

_ A red-headed woman, with relieved-looking grey eyes, was running towards us. My eyebrows furrowed as she neared. I swore this woman looked _exactly_ like my mother._

_ But, instead of embracing me, as _my_ mother would have done, he woman ran straight to the little girl I had the pleasure of escorting today; even if she _did_ stir up some questionable memories and thoughts._

_ After hugging her daughter, the woman stood straight and smiled gratefully at me. "Thank you so much for staying with her, young lady." She tilted her head at me. "H-have we met before?"_

_ I would've liked to have said: _Well, y'know, you look exactly like my mother so there was an off-chance that we could be related somehow;_ but given the circumstances, that would be considered weird, now wouldn't it?_

_ So, instead, I simply shook my head. "Nah, I don't think so. Though, there aren't many people with hair colour like ours, so I guess the occurrence is rare."_

_She beamed. "Well, thank you so much for taking care of my daughter!"_

_I rubbed the kid's head with my hand. "No problem, it was kinda fun."_

"_That's Neko-chi, mommy… She's my new older sister!"_

"_But sweetie, I thought you wanted an older brother?" the woman said down to her daughter._

"_Well, y-yeah, but…"_

"_It's alright kid." I nodded, bending down to her eye-level. "I wish I had an older brother too…"_

_ The girl's mother furrowed her brow. "S-sweetie, you didn't introduce yourself to the nice young lady, did you?"_

"_Umm…" the girl shrugged. "No…"_

"_Go on…" her mom gave her a little push towards me._

"_Right." The girl nodded at me and smiled widely. "My name is Mizunashi Tohru!"_

_Tohru…_

_Tohru…_

_ My mind went blank; which was actually very fitting, seeing as my entire surroundings went blank as well. The little girl named Tohru, her mother that strangely resembled my own, the park that I always used to come to as a kid… everything vanished before me and the familiar feeling of blacking-out began to ensue._

_ I was loosing consciousness fast and rapid images flashed through my head. Images of animals and people I knew I've met, but couldn't, for the life of me, remember at the moment. But, a voice, which I could match with the boy who had ripped off my necklace, stood above the rest as he said:_

"Sorry you'll have to hear this, Tohru-nee. Hopefully that obstacle you're facing will distract you from what's going on out here…"

_That's weird, I thought as the voice echoed. I wonder what it meant…_

_ And, as I slowly faded into unconsciousness, a single thought resonated through my pounding head:_

**"My name is Tohru…"**

* * *

Well, how'd everyone like my idea? This is happening simultaneously with the previous chapter. This will replace Gaiden chapters for now, and it's kinda like a "Tohru-in-a-coma" mini-series of chapters as Tohru faces the "obstacles" Dr. Chikarai mentioned. This'll be the style for, I'm guessing, every other chapter - so next chapter will be Ryusuke and Kyonosuke's 'talk'; which even I'm not so sure about how it'll play out. Each "Tohru" chapter will re-reveal things about Tohru, whether it's stuff she already knows, or stuff she doesn't know about yet (I'm sure we can think of a few). Oh, and as a side note, if you haven't already guessed, this took place during Akane and Izuna's Gaiden, when Izuna changed into a dog for the first time and labelled Akane as her "sensei". Anyway, I hope you guys liked my idea and I'll see you in the next chapter~!


	41. Poker Face

Chapter 40: Poker Face

"I might as well ask…" Ryusuke smirked, pulling another chair out and sitting to one side of their father. "You hate me don't you, Kyon?"

Kyonosuke looked anywhere but his brother's face. "What? Was it not obvious enough that you need clarification?" He locked eyes with his older brother. "Yeah Suke-nii, I hate you."

"Kyonosuke…"

"No dad." Kyonosuke shook his head. "It's alright… Suke-nii doesn't care anyway. Isn't that right, Suke-nii?"

Kyonosuke fought back every single part of his being that wanted to wipe the smug look off of his older brother's face.

"Now, now Kyon… That logic barely makes sense." Ryusuke noted. "Why would I ask you if I didn't care?"

"Like hell I know!" Kyonosuke retaliated. "I've completely given up on figuring you out!"

Ryusuke raised an eyebrow at Kyonosuke's sudden outburst. "So, what your saying is, you've _tried _to figure me out?"

Kyonosuke's face showed distinct confusion. _Where is Suke-nii going with this?_

"Now," Ryusuke continued, "why would a person who claims their hatred for another person, possible want to figure said other person out?"

Yousuke shook his head, "Now, now Ryusuke… Such mind games are uncalled for."

Ryusuke sighed acceptingly, "Fine. How about this: 'What exactly were you trying to figure out Kyon?'."

The question caught the boar-boy off guard. _Honestly, since when did Ryusuke ever care? In fact, _when_ did Ryusuke ever care about _anything_? That was it, wasn't it?_

"Your face…" Kyonosuke muttered, staring at the floor.

Ryusuke chuckled, "Resorting to childish responses, are we Kyon? Well, nonetheless, it was a better choice than saying 'your mom', since we have the same one."

"No, I mean it." Kyonosuke's eyes darted up to lock with his brother's again. "Your stupid poker face is _exactly_ what I don't get."

Ryusuke tilted his head in, to Kyonosuke, seemed like mock-confusion. _Damn him._ Kyonosuke thought, _he's challenging me, huh? Fine, have it your way Suke-nii._

"You're expressionless looks, your smug 'I-don't-care-because-I-know-everything' outlook on _everything _– that's what I can never get! Haven't you noticed it dad? Suke-nii's never shown _any_ feeling whatsoever! Is he some kind of robot or something, completely disregarding the feelings of everyone around him, because he has none of his own?" Kyonosuke panted, calming himself down after his long rant; which always seemed to occur every time he had a 'serious' conversation with his older brother.

"So you're saying that your brother can't feel; is that it?"

Kyonosuke's mouth dropped; why was it that his father, as much as he loved him, always sided with Ryusuke? "Dad, you mean you've _never_ seen it?" Anger bubbled inside Kyonosuke and his more boar-like tendencies started to kick in. He was _not_ going to loose this war.

"No," Yousuke shook his head, "I can't say that I have."

Kyonosuke couldn't take it anymore and, though this clearly wasn't the best time for it, he had a sudden realization.

This hate, this anger that grew in him, he had learned it from Katsuya, hadn't he? Katsuya, who used those around him as an outlet for his constant anger. Katsuya, who was stubborn as stubborn could be and whom Kyonosuke once had so much trust in. Katsuya, the boy who Kyonosuke once wished was his brother.

But no longer, Kyonosuke thought – his anger growing so much that, had his eyes been some shade of red close to the rat-boy's, they would look practically scorching. He hated Katsuya for turning him into this and for making him do such horrible things to Tohru. He hated Ryusuke for… well, a number of things for one, _and_ that he had started this whole situation in the first place. And, after his dad's last comment, Kyonosuke would come to say he didn't believe it, but he felt hatred for his father too.

"You've never seen it because you're never home!" Kyonosuke yelled at his father.

Yousuke stood from his seat. "Kyonosuke…!"

"It's true!" he went on, "Mom's always busy at the dojo and you're always busy here; too busy to even care what's going on in your kids' lives! If you or mom had been there, then maybe I wouldn't have sought out to Katsuya! Then, maybe this whole situation would've never happened!"

Ryusuke had watched long enough. "Kyon—"

"Somebody stop him!"

The three men turned to face the door, where they had heard a woman, presumably a nurse, scream out.

"Calm him down, now!" Another voice, a man this time, ordered.

"Quickly sedate him!" A final nurse yelled.

Kyonosuke slowly rose from his seat. "W-what's going on…?"

Yousuke made his move towards the door. "It sounds like a patient's getting rowdy." He answered; seemingly unfazed by the statement Kyonosuke was now regretting he said.

Then, to the room's conscious (because, if you've forgotten, Tohru was still out cold) members, three distinct voices stood above the rest.

"Let me out of here or else this girl here gets it!" a man yelled; most likely the crazed patient that was causing all of the commotion.

"Let my nee-san go!" a tiny voice, completely unmistakable to the three boys, called out.

Kyonosuke, his brother, and his father all exchanged suspicious glances. _It couldn't be…_

"Let me go…! Ughh, h-hey, I said let go of me!"

_Akane…_

The next thing Kyonosuke saw was Ryusuke bursting out of the room and, had he been paying close attention to his elder brother's face (though, Kyonosuke never did), he would've noticed the very alien-expression of fear on the dragon-boy's face.

Ryusuke near-kicked the door down and looked straight to a tall man with thinning brown hair that was forcefully pulling Akane by the wrist. Akane's face was twisted with pain and the man was clearly insane.

"Akane…!"

Ryusuke yelled as he ran straight to the hostile patient and, in one quick moment, clocked him in the jaw, knocking him out with a forceful punch (taught to him by his mother, though he thought he would never have to use it).

As the patient dropped, Akane was set free-falling to the ground as well. And, as the nurses had caught the unconscious patient before he met the floor, as did Ryusuke with Akane.

"Are you alright…? Akane, are you okay?" Ryusuke began, hoping that he was masking the slight panic in his voice.

For the most part, Ryusuke _was_, in fact, masking his fear very well; as he usually did when in situations like this. But he _did not_, in fact, know that one very significant person had seen all.

Ryusuke would come to see that this had become one of the _extremely_ rare times that he had not thought rationally, carefully, and acted impulsively. But, scolding could come later, he decided, right now was for confirming Akane's well-being.

Akane blinked up at Ryusuke in slight-gratitude, but more confusion than anything else. "I'm fine…" she said in her regular monotone as she helped herself up.

Himemiya struggled her way out of the grasp of the nurse, who had pulled her out of the path of the insane patient, and ran straight to Akane, wrapping her arms around her cousin's lower-body.

"Nee-san…!"

Akane looked down at her cousin and placed a hand on her head, as if assuring her she was alright. Her gaze returned to Ryusuke, who, if she didn't know any better (which she did), seemed almost relieved and… panicked?

_No…_ She mentally crossed the thought out, _that's impossible…_

"I'm fine Ryusuke…" she repeated, "The question is… are _you_ okay?"

It took a moment for Ryusuke to realize his vulnerability. He cleared his throat, standing a little straighter and crossing his arms in typical 'I-don't-care' Ryusuke behaviour. "Of course I'm alright…"

Akane nodded, acknowledging that Ryusuke was (somewhat) back to his usual self.

"Suke-nii…"

Ryusuke turned slightly, only to see Kyonosuke standing by Tohru's room door and motioning for him to come over.

Ryusuke turned to Akane who simply shrugged. "I said I'm fine… Go on, Kyon-kun wants to talk to you. I can visit Tohru-chan later anyway."

"Alright…" Ryusuke nodded as he and Kyonosuke re-entered the room where, in all of the commotion, Tohru still lay peacefully resting.

"What is it Kyon?" Ryusuke began, leaning against the, now closed, door, and crossing his arms. "Come to say that you wanted to be the one to stop the bad guy and I stole your spotlight? Let me guess, you just added several new things on your 'Why I hate Suke-nii' list."

Kyonosuke just shook his head and smirked at his brother; which, though he would never admit, confused Ryusuke slightly.

"Out with it, Kyon… Or, would you rather dad was in here to protect you? Because, I do believe that he went to attend to that patient from a moment ago."

Kyonosuke continued to show no retaliation to Ryusuke's good-natured teasing, which was _very_ unlike him.

"You're in love with Akane-nee…"

The question caught even _the_ Ryusuke Sohma off guard. But, Ryusuke was very adept to hiding his emotions. In his usual, cool and calm state he shrugged his shoulders.

"And you came to this conclusion… how?"

"You can't hide it anymore Suke-nii… I can read your stupid poker face now. You were in a state of panic when Akane-nee was in danger, you were angry when you punched that guy out, and just now, you were relieved when Akane-nee was safe."

"And this concludes to, what exactly?"

Ryusuke, as confused as he (_possibly_) was, was actually more intrigued to know how his brother had made such a change in character in such a short time.

"You know I hate admitting this Suke-nii… But, I was wrong." Ryusuke raised an eyebrow as his younger brother continued. "You are perfectly capable of emotions, at least, only if it concerns Akane-nee. And _that_ is how I came to my conclusion: You're in love with Akane-nee."

"I—"

"You can't hide it." Kyonosuke loved being on the offensive for once against his brother, so much so that he had to quell the urge to whip out his cell phone and tell Izuna all about it.

There was silence between the two brothers. Kyonosuke now realized that his brother was just as feeling as anyone. Now that he had seen Ryusuke's true feelings, Kyonosuke didn't find it as hard to believe that; maybe, Ryusuke _did_ ask Katsuya and Kaoru to watch over him when he was younger. And, noticing this, he could only wonder about all of the other things he thought wrongly of his brother.

Looking at his brother's face, the face of someone trying to formulate fool proof plan to get out of his sticky situation, Kyonosuke had the strangest feeling of… was it? It was the first time he could honestly think of between him and his brother, so he wasn't exactly sure. He felt a brotherly bond with Ryusuke that, previously, he had only felt with Kaoru and Katsuya.

"Nii-chan…" Kyonosuke muttered as the calculating Ryusuke looked up at his brother.

"Sorry…?"

"Ryusuke Nii-chan…" Kyonosuke repeated. "I… I don't hate you…"

For the first time, Ryusuke's expression changed right in front of his brother. His eyes widened at the sudden development, which, as many things had today, caught him off guard.

The shocked look on his face only lasted for a few seconds, however, before he smiled at his younger brother. It wasn't his condescending smirk or his taunting, smug look; but a true, proud older brother smile. "I never thought you did, Kyonosuke…" he nodded.

"Oh, and by the way…" Kyonosuke went on as Ryusuke gave him his full attention. Kyonosuke smiled right at his brother for, very probably, the first time in his life. "I can't believe I got a girlfriend before _you_ did!"

Ryusuke's eyebrows furrowed. "Hah, that's what you think!"

Kyonosuke laughed, "Pshh, that's what I _know…_ At least I had the guts to confess to the girl I like."

Ryusuke shook his head and the two brothers smiled at each other, the way brothers do. "Tsk, tsk Kyon, can't you see it's a strategy?"

Kyonosuke put a hand on Ryusuke shoulder as the two boys laughed together. "Sure Nii-chan, _sure…_"

* * *

I'm so sorry about the lack of update last Sunday! I was busy with Halloween stuff. I had friends over and I cosplayed as Celty from Durarara (this really great 2010 anime that bumped it's way into my #2 top anime). In any case, I apologize… I got a new computer but it has no Internet yet so we'll see how far this takes us now that I need to move the chapters around before uploading them; although it's much faster than my old one. Anyway, I want to know what people thought of Ryusuke and Kyonosuke's _final confrontation_. I kind of like the ending to this chapter… don't know why really, but I just do. Please review and let me know~! And, again – really, really, really (x1, 000,000) sorry! See you in the next chapter~! (^_^)


	42. I Am the Cat

Chapter 41: I Am the Cat

"Tohru, sweetie, time to wake up…"

_Hmm…? Oh, that's right, my name is Tohru Mizunashi. _

"Sweetie, come on now, rise and shine or you'll be late for school."

_School…?_

_I slowly raised from… my bed? I was in my bedroom? I looked around, confusedly taking in my surroundings. My normal sheets laid out on my normal bed, which was parallel to my normal work-desk. And, my mother was sitting at the edge of my bed smiling at me._

"Mom…?"_ I must've had the stupidest, most obvious look of confusion on my face, because my mom gave me that kind of 'understanding look' that meant she wanted to talk about something._

"Did you have a weird dream, sweetie?" _she asked kindly._

_Dream… Ahh right, I dreamt of the park, right? I met that younger version of me, but I woke up around the time when I realized I wasn't wearing my dad's necklace. Speaking of which…_

_Quicker than quick, my hand raced up to my _bare_ neck: no necklace at all._

"M-mom, have you seen my necklace anywhere?"

"What necklace…?"

_My mouth dropped. _"T-the necklace; y'know, the one you told me never to take off? The one that dad left for me?"

"I don't recall your father ever leaving you a necklace…" _She gave me a tired smile before she stepped out of the room. _"Perhaps you're still dreaming, hmm?"

_As she left, my mind grew even more confused. I couldn't have dreamt up the necklace, right? It had always been one of those imperative things in my life; almost like breathing. I had never been _without_ my necklace before – it was as if a part of me was missing._

_I would've mused on my thoughts a little longer, but I was interrupted by mom calling: _"Tohru, you'd better come down now or you'll be late!"

_My thoughts could wait; school was almost as inevitable as wearing my necklace anyway._

_It was so strange. While I walked to school, as I have many, _many_, times before; I had the strangest feeling of nostalgia – as if I hadn't done this in a long while. But it had only been… My mind went hazy. Had there been some kind of vacation? Did I do something big over the weekend? Come to think of it, where exactly _was_ I during these past few days. It didn't feel like I was just at home._

_I heard two boys whispering about me to my right and shot them my usual glare as cold as ice before walking off, leaving them in my dust. It was like I'd forgotten how annoying my life was._

_I stepped onto the school grounds and the entire field went silent; usual, right? Everyone was either staring at me or whispering stupid myths about me beating up someone last week, or something like that._

_I sighed, resisted the urge to turn around and completely tell them off, and then walked into the school. In the shoe locker, I was approached from behind._

_Who the hell is trying to talk to me while I'm thinking? I spun around and was about to back-kick whoever it was._

"A-ahh, I knew it was you Mizunashi-chan."

_My guard dropped and my features softened when I saw Miku Kazama, the only person in this school I could actually stand, smiling at me._

_Years ago, I had defended her from some bullies and we just kinda hung around together. Of course, I would've immediately thought that she was only using me to gain protection – if it was anyone _other_ than Miku, that is. She was the nicest, most clueless person you would ever meet, and I treated her accordingly._

"Mornin' Miku-chan…" _I nodded at her. _

_I guess some people would call us friends, but I've always thought of her as more of a sister, or a person I have to baby-sit constantly. Besides, we only ever talk in school, we've never eaten lunch or walked home together and, I would say, we only hang out with each other because we have no one else to do so with._

_As we walked to class together, Miku piped up: _"Are you alright, Mizunashi-chan? You're kind of staggering."

_I hadn't even realized I was, but I gave her a shrug and blew it off as nothing. _"I'm just tired is all… The weekend really took a lot out of me."

"You seemed fine yesterday…"

"Hmm, yesterday…? What're you talking about?" _Come to think of it, what day was it?_

"Yeah, you've seemed fine for the whole week, really. Why only today?"

_And today would be…?_

"Anyway…" _Miku went on, turning into a classroom._ "I hope you're alright to study today."

"Miku-chan…" _I near-dragged her by the back of the clueless girl's uniform jacket. I sighed, _"That's not our classroom…"

"R-right…! Thanks Mizunashi-chan, what would I do without you?"

_I scoffed. _"Yeah, what…?"_With her brains, she'd probably get willingly kidnapped._

_The minute I walked into the class, my eyes darted towards the board where the class rep. always wrote the date._

_I read: Thursday_

_Thursday…_

_THURSDAY…?_

_Was it really Thursday? I had absolutely no recollection of the past week whatsoever. In fact, it felt like I haven't been in school at all; but that thought got ruled out since Miku said she saw me yesterday. Although, if it really was the case that I hadn't been in school, where exactly was I?_

_I shook my head and took my regular seat in the second row, by the window. Oh sure, my mind let's me remember little stuff like where I sit, but not anything pertaining to the crisis plaguing my mind! Good to know._

_Class was complete and utter torture, as it always was; and, as per usual, I was the first one to race out of the class when lunch break started. Miku always went home and, since she lived right across the street from the school, I didn't find it necessary to walk a whole five metres; if she couldn't do that without getting fatally injured, then I really shouldn't be the only one worrying for her._

_I walked, with home-made bento in hand, all the way up to the roof. While all the other students either preferred to go out for lunch, or stay in the classroom, the roof was _always_ my peaceful, undisturbed sanctuary._

_One part of my mind seemed to disagree with that fact and flashed an image of me talking with some guy up in the roof into my brain._

_That's ridiculous, I thought as I began to eat, why the hell would I bring anyone up here with me?_

"Itadakimasu…!" _I clapped my hands together, broke apart my chopsticks and dove into my bento with ravenous fury – figuring out life crisis always piqued my appetite._

_As I was chowing down at lightening speed, a small orange cat pounced up beside me, staring at the sashimi being loosely held by the grip of my chopsticks._

_I sighed, dropping the piece of salmon in front of the cat. _"Fine, fine… have it your way."

_The cat stared at the piece of raw fish, blinked, and then stared up at me._

"Yeah, it's all yours."_ I nodded, completely ignoring the fact that I was having a one-sided conversation with a cat. I tilted my head; well, it was more of a kitten than a cat…_

'Because you're a kitten…'_ a voice rang in my head as my eyes widened._

_Kitten…_

_A kitten…_

_I stood up in shock, yelling: _"I'm a…!" _and totally scaring the little kitten, as it snatched up the sashimi I left for it and scampered a few feet away, and stared at me._

Everything_ came back to me, and I really meant in this time. I remembered the zodiac, the Sohma family, Katsuya, my transformation… and Kaoru._

_My hand went up to my bare neck._

"That's right…"_ I said aloud, as if anyone was there to hear me anyway. _"Kyonosuke-san ripped my beads off. I turned into the cat's cursed transformation. And I passed out, didn't I? Does that mean this is a dream?"

"Well, that really depends…"

"Hmm…?"_ I turned around at the sound of the voice that had suddenly come out of nowhere._

"Hey, I'm down here."

_I spun around again, frantically searching for the source of the male voice that was talking to me._

"Damn it, I said I'm down here!"

_I looked down and my eyebrows furrowed. The little orange kitten was talking… to me? I bent down with increasing confusion as the cat looked up at me._

"H-hey…" _I started hesitantly. _"P-please tell me you're not talking, and that I'm just way too tired to think properly…"

_The cat, of all things, looked at me like _I_ was the screwed up one. _"Are you messed in the head? What kind of question is that?" _It yelled at me._

"Umm… _you're_ the cat that's talking to me, and you're asking me if _I'm_ messed in the head?"

"God…!"_ the cat sighed, _"Why do I always get the crazies like you."

"Wow, thanks…" _I rolled my eyes, _"It's great to know that cats of the world think I'm an idiot."

"Well, you're the stupidest one of our kind that I've ever met."

"O-oh yeah… I'm a cat too."

_The cat gave me the 'you're-such-an-idiot' look again. _"Yeah, I already know. So… you're name is…?"

"Tohru, Sohma Tohru."

_The cat turned quickly to face me in, what I would call, shock; but I wasn't exactly well-versed in the emotional reactions of animals._

"T-Tohru, huh…?"

_I nodded, seemingly getting over the fact that I was conversing with a mammal. _"And… you are?"

"Just stick to calling me 'Kay', alright?"

"Serious…?"

"Yes, serious…!" _It snapped at me._

_My head tilted. What kind of frickin' name was _K_? I shook my head; this day was too strange to begin with, I might as well go with it now._

"Alright, _Kay_… Can I ask why you're talking to me?" _Or, why you're talking in general, I side-commented._

"Didn't I already say? It all depends!"

"What all depends? What the hell are you talking about?"

"If you shut up for a second and let me explain, this would've been over already!"

"I'm giving you the chance to explain!"

_Our yelling got louder and louder that, I swear, some people down below could hear us; or me at least, so long as I wasn't going insane due to all of this Sohma stuff._

_Kay sighed, obviously trying to calm him self down. _"Alright look, all I'm here to do is ask you if this is the life you really wanted."

_My mouth dropped, _"Hah…?"

_If this was some sort of shoujo manga or anime, there would probably be some sort of sweat-drop or pulsing vein on the little cat's head as he sighed (again) and tried a different approach._

"Okay let's start with… Do you hate the Sohma curse?"

_That wasn't very hard. _"Of course I do! I mean, the transforming into a cat wasn't as bad… aside from the end result but…" _My face went red at the recollection. _"A-anyway… I still hate it! It makes me transform into a monster every time those stupid beads come off my body." _My hand went up to hold my bare neck; which I still couldn't get over the feeling of. _"I don't even know where my beads are now…"

"All I needed was an answer, thanks…" _Kay sarcastically replied, shaking his head. _"Next question: did you or did you not wish to go back to your normal, everyday life in the midst of your transformation."

"That's not fair I—"

"Just answer the question."

"Y-yeah…" _I muttered; annoyed at the fact that I was loosing to a cat. _"Maybe I was…"

"So, are you satisfied with living a life like this?"

_My eyes widened; I understood it now. This was my choice, huh?_

"You asked if this was a dream earlier. If you choose this peaceful, everyday world of yours, no one's stopping you and this will become your reality. However, if you choose your cursed life in the Sohma family, this will merely be a dream."

_A pretty good deal at first glance, I thought. _

"So, have you decided?" _Kay pressed on._

"Of course I have."

"That wasn't very long to think about it, are you sure?"

_The truth was I didn't have to think about it. I realized that, maybe; I wasn't all that alone here in _this_ world anyway. I had my mom with me, and Miku too; there was no chance of meeting my dad but… If I didn't go back to the Sohma clan, I wouldn't have to worry about the curse, or transforming, or Katsuya or anything. I didn't have to think to hard about my decision at all._

"I'm going back to the Sohma's."

_Kay looked at me with interest. _"Oh, quite the bold choice…"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" _I scoffed, _"I know where my body is currently. I'm in the hospital, aren't I? I passed out after I transformed into the monster. If I choose the life here, wouldn't that kill my physical being in the real world?"

_Kay's look of interest never faltered._

"I can't do that to everyone." _I shook my head. _"Not after what they've all done for me. I can't let Izuna-chan down or Akane-chan… Michiko-chan… Sarutoubi-kun, Torahku-kun, Daisuke-san… and, Kaoru… No, not after everything they went through. I don't even belong in this world anyway. I was destined to become the cat."

_Kay smiled at me, _"Nice choice… You passed the test."

_My eyebrows furrowed. _"Uhh, what test?"

"You accepted your destiny to be the cat."

_My spirits dropped, _"Y-you're kidding right? You put me through all of that mental torture just to place me right back where I started? What the hell?"

_Kay shook his head. _"This was only for you to re-assure yourself that you would choose the Sohma's no matter what. So, you should really be thanking me."

_I rolled my eyes, _"Right…" _I sighed sarcastically. _"So… will I wake up now?"

_Kay laughed at me, _"Hah, yeah right…" _he turned his orange cat's tail at me and began walking away. _"You've still got a ways to go kid… But, enjoy your day of normalcy for now. When you wake up tomorrow… things change."

"W-wait, what do you mean?"

"See you then, Sohma Tohru…" _were Kay's final words before he scampered off to who knows where._

_God, this Sohma curse was confusing!_

_The rest of the day went off problem-free and, not surprisingly, I found my day of normalcy pretty boring. Miku was predictably stupid and clueless, as usual. Lessons were easy and pointless, typically. And, homework was done uneventfully and without problem. I never knew how much my everyday-life was killing me until now; but I guess, once someone has had the taste of the most exciting kind of lifestyle ever, nothing can ever match up to it._

_I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling of my bedroom; it had only been a matter of days since I last lay there for real, but it seemed like so much longer than that. I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to ensue but… _nothing.

_I turned to sleep on my side, and that's when my head came across something hard and flat underneath my pillow. A smirk on my face, because I could make a pretty good guess as to what it was, I reached underneath my pillow and retrieved a thick manga book._

_Now, don't misunderstand – I'm no otaku, but this manga held so much more meaning than some 'collector's edition' or 'limited-time copy'. _

_I knew that when I awoke the next morning, I wouldn't be here anymore and, for all I know, this book wouldn't be here either. I was the cat after all, and things never stayed the same very long for someone like me._

_A warm feeling grew in my chest as I clutched my most prized possession against it and fell asleep; dreaming of a young girl with red hair, a boy named Kozue, and the moment they shared under a tree._

_And, as my eyes gently closed, I knew the truth: _

**"My name is Tohru Sohma, and I am the Cat."**

* * *

A little on the late side and I think this chapter's pace was a bit fast to follow – but what do I know? All I did was type it. Please tell me what you think, it means a lot! ^_^ I forgot to add some stuff to the A/N's from last chapter: my inspiration for Ryusuke and Kyonosuke was Kei and Sui Takashima from the shoujo Special A, by Minami Maki. I got the idea of the 'unfeeling robot' straight from one of the episodes and I just thought it fit well with their personalities. Although, obviously, Kyonosuke's not gonna end up with some older brother complex, because, honestly, can anyone even imagine Kyon like that? Like I said, each one of Tohru's 'mind' chapters will introduce or re-introduce a bit of information to Tohru. I hope these were interesting because this is literally back of my mind kind of stuff. Good news though, I've got most of the chapters already planned out so I can type whenever and _hopefully_ writer's block doesn't strike me again (God, I hope I didn't just jinx that). Anyway, next chapter's a present day one, as usual, so see you all then~!


	43. Tigers Don't Cry

Chapter 42: Tigers Don't Cry

"_What kind of tiger are you? Not even tamed tigers cry!"_

A genuinely strong brotherly moment between Ryusuke and Kyonosuke Sohma was cut short by a rapping at the door.

"Alright, as much as I love that you two are finally talking to each other, after what's been like _years_, I'd like to get a chance to see Tohru-chan before the sun goes down!" Akane called from her respective side of the door.

Kyonosuke looked to his brother, who simply laughed, shaking his head as he opened the door for the snake and sheep pair. The dragon motioned for his cousins to come in. "By all means, Akane…"

Akane nodded, which was as much acknowledgement as he ever received for his 'apparent' random acts of kindness; and Kyonosuke, very poorly mind you, stifled a laugh. Never had he expected the day when he would be nonchalantly laughing at an inside joke between him and his brother.

"Just shut up Kyon…" was Ryusuke mildly secretive reply to his brother as the two stepped out of the room.

But Akane and Himemiya were much to preoccupied with staring at the, momentarily forgotten, unconscious Tohru Sohma. The snake girl sighed as she pulled out chairs for both herself and the anxious sheep.

"It looks like she's sleeping." Himemiya remarked.

Akane was well-adept at keeping her, if any, emotions down as her iced-voice answered. "In a way… she kind of is, Hime-chan." _I mean, besides the erratic breathing and the inhuman beeping from the machine that could very well be keeping her alive – but, yeah, sleeping is a good word for it._

"Why isn't Kaoru Onii-san here with her?" Himemiya's innocent smile reminded Akane of the young Izuna, who had once employed her as the self-proclaimed 'sensei' – the emotions she was trying to keep down threatened to spill out all at once, had she not taken a sharp breath to calm herself down.

_Maybe I've always had a soft-spot for innocence?_ She mused.

"He's probably bringing Michiko-chan around." _Which is good,_ Akane thought,_ he needs a little bit of a break from his angst in here._

"Everyone loves Tohru Onee-sama, huh?"

"Yeah Hime-chan, _everyone_…"

"Even Torah-nii, he really loves Onee-sama."

Akane twitched at the name. She didn't exactly have a reason, but Torahku was someone who just got on her nerves a _little_ too often. It had probably started when they were younger and Torahku had nothing better to do then annoy her. She checked with her ancestry, but nothing came up about the bad blood she had with the tiger. Maybe it was just Torahku, himself, and not his zodiac form.

"B-but Torah-nii loves Tarumi-nee-chan too, right?"

Akane looked up from the floor, where he gaze had seemed to drift to. "S-sorry Hime-chan, what were you saying, something about Torahku?"

Himemiya was uncharacteristically talkative, yet her voice was quieter than usual; a strange mix, Akane thought.

"I-I know that Tarumi-nee-chan really likes Torah-nii. She wouldn't let him bring me around if she didn't trust him."

Akane nodded.

"And I always thought that Torah-nii really liked nee-chan too. But, he also likes Onee-sama. I don't get it."

Akane shook her head. "It's best not to worry yourself with big-kid problems, Hime-chan."

"B-but—"

"Torahku is a strange person to figure out." She sighed tiredly, "He really _is_ like an untamed tiger."

"That's what nee-chan calls him too. Tarumi-nee-chan says that she _has_ to be strict with him or else he won't act properly. I think that's why she's always so cruel to him."

Akane shrugged in the most lady-like way there was to shrug. "Well, Tarumi-chan may not recognize her feelings just yet, but she loves Torahku. I'm sure of it."

"Even though she's always yelling at him and saying that he should leave?"

"That's how some people show love, especially when they're unsure."

"So, does that mean _you_ love Torah-nii, too?"

Himemiya had dropped the bomb, the million-dollar question; and, had Akane been drinking something, she would've have performed a spit-take all over the unconscious cat lying in the bed in front of her.

Her eyes widened as she stared right at the clear blue of her cousin's eyes. The snake gulped, "S-sorry, what…?"

"D-do you love Torah-nii too?" Himemiya repeated.

"Why would you say that?"

Himemiya blinked, suddenly frightened at Akane's near-death glare. "S-sorry, it's just that y-you said that people show love by being mean, a-and you're kinda, always, mean to Torah-nii. S-so I assumed that…"

Akane's mouth dropped as she saw herself in Himemiya's position. Obviously the sheep wasn't in the wrong, and Akane had _kinda_ set herself up for this situation.

"S-sorry…" the sheep girl quivered.

More of Akane's heart melted; she really _did_ have a soft-spot for innocence after all. She scoffed quietly, getting Himemiya's attention.

"H-huh…?"

"I guess I do love that idiot… Torahku…" Akane sighed, shaking her head.

"Y-you do…?"

She mustered a small, yet warm, smile. "Yeah I do… but not in the same way as your sister. _She _loves him as a person and friend. But, I love Torahku the same way I love Izuna, Tohru, Kaoru… and even _you,_ Hime-chan. You're my family, after all."

Akane thought back to her first meet with Torahku, when his mother left him and his father. It appeared that she couldn't handle the Sohma curse, and she just up and left. Akane remembered watching the young tiger cry and seeing his angst-ridden father telling his son that it wasn't his fault. But, back then, young Akane was still caught in the bitterness of being new to the curse, and _her own_ parents leaving her alone. _At least he still had a father,_ she remembered thinking to herself.

_That was the day that changed it all, wasn't it?_

Akane recalled, quite clearly, what she had done next. After his father had stepped inside to sulk quietly, Akane walked right up to the sobbing boy and tossed a handkerchief over his head.

"_H…"-_sniff-"_H-huh…?"_

"_You're the tiger, aren't you…?"_

Clearly, the thought of the zodiac forced the boy to recall the mother that had just left, since he began bawling again, the handkerchief doing absolutely _nothing._

Akane scoffed. _"What kind of tiger are you?"_ she exclaimed as she reluctantly bent down and used the handkerchief to wipe his tears._ "Geez, not even tamed tigers cry!"_

Akane mentally face-palmed; it was _her_ fault Torahku kept following her around, wasn't it? She had been the one to be nice to him. She really did have a weakness for innocence.

"B-but Torah-nii also likes Tohru Onee-sama, right?" Once again, Himemiya's small voice cut through Akane's thoughts immediately.

"That's true…" Akane nodded knowingly at her cousin. "Torahku _does_ like Tohru-chan, but he _loves_ Tarumi-chan. He's just occupying himself, but he'd always go back to Tarumi-chan, without a doubt."

"Are you sure?"

"Nearly positive… _You_ said it yourself Hime-chan, if Tarumi-chan didn't like Torahku, you wouldn't be here now. So, it should be the same for Torahku, don't you think?"

"I don't think Nee-chan realizes that she likes Torah-nii yet."

Akane's eyebrows furrowed. "You really want them together, don't you?"

"I-I… y-yeah…" she nodded.

"If you think they should be together, why don't you do something about it?"

Himemiya thought for a moment but, just before she was about to answer, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Akane called as Daisuke and Kaoru stepped into the room.

"Akane-chan," Daisuke began, "It's getting a little late. Hitomi offered to drive you all back to the estate."

"You're not coming?"

Daisuke was silent and that was all the answer the snake needed. She stood up and walked Himemiya out of the room. "Let's go, Hime-chan, we can visit again another time"

"Take care…" Daisuke waved them off as Akane and Himemiya walked out of the room and over to the rest of the family that had come (save Torahku, Sarutoubi, and Izuna) to the hospital.

Kyonosuke smirked and nudged his older brother's arm when Akane walked passed them. Ryusuke nudged him back and the two went back and forth until Akane turned around and scoffed at them.

"Nice to see you two getting along; it's about damn time, don't you think?"

"Of course, Akane…" Ryusuke nodded as his younger brother rolled his eyes and silently mimicked Ryusuke while the dragon wasn't looking.

Akane pulled a soft smile, remembering her admission about loving the family, which Himemiya had somehow gotten out of her. _Maybe, I just have a soft spot for my family…_

And, though it seemed usual to everyone else, Himemiya was inhumanly quiet on the drive home – this time, not due to her shyness, but because she was planning something. Akane was right, she _had_ to do something to bring Torahku and Tarumi together; and she had the perfect idea of what (but, she was going to need some help).

* * *

Yes, I suck at updating. We all know that this is how every one of my A/N's go but, I'm trying as best I can (promise)! I was afraid that I couldn't post this chapter today, but I did! (Thank God!) I don't know if anyone cares, but today (Nov. 28, 10) is my birthday! (^_^) YAY! I was super busy today because my friends and family were coming over, but I somehow got this chapter up. I apologize if the chapters are loosing quality or getting boring – but I'm still going somewhere with this story, not to worry~! I'll try and get back on schedule with this whole updating thing by next chapter; once again, sorry for any inconsistencies or anything like that. Next chapter is another one of "Tohru's Mind Chapters" if you haven't already guessed – and these will get more interesting as the story progresses (hopefully). See you in the next chapter, and happy birthday to ALL November-babies and Sagittarius birthday's out there~!


	44. I Joined the Zodiac

Chapter 43: I Joined the Zodiac

"_God, would you just wake the hell up already?"_

"_Mmm... K-Kay, is that you?" I opened my eyes, only to see Kay – the cat (yes, I said _cat_) – hovering above me._

_This time, I was laying on the stone-cold pavement of the pathway in… the park. Huh, looks like my mind's running out of creativity._

_Just to get myself up-to-speed, I went over the things I've found out so far. Well, for one thing, I knew I had been knocked out after I transformed into the cat's 'hidden form'. Apparently, I was being moved from 'dream' to 'dream' (usually by being knocked out or sleeping) after I came to a realization or something like that. And lastly, I have no idea when this is supposed to end or why it was happening in the first place; but, then again, I haven't exactly been in sound mind ever since I joined this whole zodiac-thing._

"_Are you gonna stay silent all day, or what?" Kay scoffed._

_Oh yeah, I forgot one more thing: I have now been bestowed a 'guardian' or 'spirit-guide' – whatever you want to call it – in the form of a sarcastic, apathetic talking orange cat that went by the name of "Kay"._

_I don't know what freaked me out more; the fact that I was getting used to being knocked out and re-awoken in a different place, or the fact that I was having regular conversations with a cat without completely losing my mind._

"_W-what is this doing here?" I fingered the manga book, still clasped in my hand._

_I recalled keeping this in my hand as I fell asleep in the last 'dream', where I fell asleep in my room. But, this was the first time I kept something besides my memories in one dream to another._

"_Are you pretending not to hear me, or did your hearing go during your last nap?" Kay continued to rant._

"_Alright, alright, I can hear you just fine!" I sighed, looking around. "Where am I _this_ time?"_

"_Why don't you take a guess?"_

"_A park…?"_

"_Well, we've established that your sight is just fine!" he remarked; the sarcasm in his voice so obvious, you'd have to be deaf not to notice._

"_Oh shut up…" I stood from my spot on the paved ground, half-wondering why no one noticed a teenage girl passed out in the middle of a public park. Oh wait, no one noticed the frickin' talking cat beside me, so _of course_ they wouldn't notice a bright-red haired girl lying on the ground._

_Looks like Kay's sarcasm was contagious._

_Then again, as I looked around, there weren't many people in the park to begin with. It looked like it was around seven in the morning, when the only people in the park are school teams that practice early. I'd check my watch, if I cared enough to actually think about wearing one for once._

"_So, what're we doing here?" I turned to see Kay scamper off behind a bush in a way that told me to follow him._

_Reluctantly, I followed him and crouched to the ground. "Are we waiting for someone?"_

"_Shh…!" Kay seethed as he pointed to a couple walking together on my previous asphalt bed. "Thos two look familiar?"_

_I looked in the direction of his little cat's paw and immediately took my comment about them being a 'couple' back. They were most definitely _NOT_ a couple!_

"_T-that's Kaoru and…" I gasped at the sight of red-coloured hair, "M-me…?" I turned to Kay quickly. "N-no way, this was like two days ago!"_

"_No… really? Would you just quit your questions and watch?"_

_I complied as I saw myself and Kaoru playfully arguing. I couldn't help but notice that, from a bystander's point of view, it _did_ seem like we had looked like a couple. But my thoughts on that topic completely ended when I saw the group of students from my school approach Kaoru and my double._

_It suddenly came to me: I was about to witness myself transforming!_

_Kay's small "Nyaa" stopped me from yelling and running out to Kaoru in panic as the zodiac boy shoved me into one of the boys from behind._

_There was a huge cloud of smoke and I heard the yells from the shocked group of boys. Kay motioned for me to move in closer so that we could follow Kaoru and my passed-out transformed-self as they escaped from the mini-smoke-bomb._

_Good call, I thought, now we can actually hear them speak._

"_S-shoot…" Kaoru sighed. "Didn't think this through…"_

_I peered over my bushy hiding place and saw Kaoru grimacing as he picked up my fallen clothes._

_I blushed at the thought; I had completely forgotten about the aftermath of transforming into my zodiac form. My mind drifted for a second: was it the same when I transformed into my hidden form? I shuddered at the thought._

"_She's kinda cute as a cat…" Kaoru went on, bringing my attention back to him. _Did he just call me cute?

"_Hmph, Tohru Oba-chan was right…" he smiled as he scratched behind my cat's ear._

_I think it was too cold that day; all of the heat was rushing to my face a little too quickly. Involuntarily, I clutched the manga book in my hand tightly as I continued to watch._

"_Too bad she didn't get to meet you Kitten." He muttered to himself. "Maybe even Kyo Oji-san would've liked to meet you." He shook his head. "No, of course he'd want to meet you."_

_My cat-self rolled over with a soft "Nyaa…" and Kaoru smiled softly. "Everyone's gonna love meeting you Kitten." He paused for a moment to think, and then scoffed. "Well, all except for one…" He sighed. "I wonder how he'll take the news."_

"_K-Kaoru…" I muttered; hating how he was taking advantage of me being totally unconscious (also hating how vomit-inducing-ly suggestive that sounded), but also finding his quiet musings on me and the zodiac (and Katsuya) semi-sweet._

"_Are you blushing…?" Kay remarked. "You like him, don't you?"_

"_What are you talking about?" I exclaimed as quietly as possible._

_Kay eyed the manga I held in my hand before shaking his head. "God, I seriously _always_ get the dense girls like you, don't I?"_

_I didn't feel like arguing with such restrictions on my volume, so with nothing more than a scoff, I turned my attention back to Kaoru and me in cat-version._

_My cousin checked his watch (looks like _he_ cared enough to wear one) before beginning to shake me awake._

"_K-Kitten… Tohru-chan, c'mon wake up!"_

"_Ugh…" I sighed silently; I remembered this part a little _too_ well._

_Annoyed, I watched in silence as we conversed; mildly wondering how I didn't notice my being a cat while I was talking to him._

_And then, he brought up my dad's letter._

_My heart kind of sank as I heard my other self rant about my father and my previous thoughts on the zodiac. Now that I thought about it, with my new knowledge on the Sohma curse in mind, I guess one would really have to be insane to believe everything in one shot._

_I almost had to quell the urge to go up and explain everything to my previous self but, no, that was out of the question, wasn't it?_

_But, the nice moment was destined to end, since I knew _exactly_ how this 'nice moment' was going to turn out._

"What… the… HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH THOSE?"

_The quiet bursting or laughter from the lungs of a small orange kitten was so annoying I swear, I would've screamed._

"_H-Hah…! You're face was priceless!" Kay laughed as I rolled my eyes, trying hard to hide my red face._

"_S-shut up already…! Kaoru might hear you!"_

"Well… remember what I said about a time limit…?"

Poof…

"Aaaaiiiieeee…!"

_Kay burst out laughing even harder and my face burned, maybe even a deeper shade than my hair._

"_Aww, look at Kaoru's face," Kay went on. "He's so embarrassed! He must like you a lot. And you too, with that manga…"_

_I spun quickly with eyebrows furrowed. "What did you say?"_

_By the look on his cat-face, it looked like he said something he wasn't supposed to. "What? Nothing, I didn't say anything…"_

"_But—"_

"_Look, we're done here so would you mind passing out so we can get through this faster?"_

"_What do you mean we're done? Aren't they…?" I looked to where Kaoru and I were no longer; they must have left while I wasn't looking._

_I smiled to myself, thinking about what would be happening to _that_ Tohru once she got to the Sohma estate._

"_Hey…" Kay called. "Do you regret joining the Sohma clan? You _do_ know what's going to happen to that Tohru once she gets to the estate, right?"_

"_Of course I know! I've lived it." I sighed, thinking about how I got to this point, compared to _that_ Tohru heading off to the estate right now._

"_Think about it in terms of _that_ Tohru's mentality, would you have regretted it if you were still in that mindset?"_

"_No," plain and simple._

_I lay down on the ground, getting ready to sleep and move on to the next 'dream', and smiled at Kay. "I joined the zodiac voluntarily then, and I'd join it again if I had the choice."_

"_Tch," the cat scoffed, "I wonder if you'd still join if it was someone _else_ who came to get you, instead of Kaoru."_

_I opened up one eye, giving him half a glare. "Can you let me sleep in peace?"_

"_The sooner you do, the sooner things will get quieter."_

"_Tch…" I scoffed as I rolled to my side and clutched my manga book to my chest. _Why would I like Kaoru when Kozue-kun…?_ I sighed, tightening my grip on the book, my prized possession. Well, all that really mattered right now was another stage was cleared. I knew that no matter when, there was no doubt:_

"My name is Tohru Sohma, and I joined the zodiac."

* * *

*face-palm* I honestly just _can't_ get back on track. The good news is I've got a new laptop with built-in Wi-Fi, so I can type and post pretty much anywhere – fingers crossed that this'll help me with this story. Specifically to _IndusLotus2001-san_, but is also directed to anyone else who thinks the same. Yes, I know Kaoru X Tohru is annoyingly sweet and obvious, so I apologize for that. But, most anime has those, y'know, **main couples** that everyone knows will end up together – I guess I fail at making a couple like that, but this was my attempt. So, once again, I apologize (this time, not only for the updating powers) but for my attempt at main couples. I can't exactly change it now (:-P) but, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story, aside from small things like this. Next chapter is a present-day one, obviously. To address another review, yes, I know the story is moving slowly (once again, my fault), so that is the third thing I am apologizing for. (I feel like Ritsu. XD) you're right, _AKAAkira-san_, the character development is the cause of the slow-moving chapters, and that was, again, my fault. (Well, it's impossible for it to be anyone else's fault so…) (^_^)" In any case, I do hope everyone still enjoys this story, aside from these little annoyances. See you in the next chapter~!


	45. Search Party

Eheheh, guess what? I'm _not_ dead! ^_^" Although, I'm pretty sure you _all_ know what's coming next so, I'll just get it over with…

I'M SOOOOOOOO SORRY‼‼!

SOO, SOO, SOOO, SOOOOOO SORRY‼‼ T_T please forgive me! *bows a million times*

I know I promised, like, 2 chapters by the end of this hiatus but I had a long strain of continuous writer's block (but I'm sure you've all heard this kind of stuff before…)

This is not considered a full chapter, but more of a preview for the next (for sure, upcoming) chapter. Just think of this as more of a preview and something to end that cliff-hanger I'm sorry I left you guys on.

Once again, I know this probably cost me a lot of readers so, I hope, whoever's still reading is also _still_ enjoying!

I promise I'm working on these chapters, so please enjoy this!

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Chapter 44: Search Party

"Well, I admit it…" Izuna pursed her lips, "this sounded like a better plan in my head."

Torahku sighed. "We should've known that Katsuya-kun wouldn't stick around the estate! I know I wouldn't."

"Thanks for mentioning it on the _long_ walk over here." Sarutoubi joked.

The three had, as Sarutoubi said, walked from the hospital to the estate completely on foot; much to Torahku's disdain. In the eagerness to find Katsuya, Izuna had stormed out of the hospital dragging the calm Sarutoubi on the right, and the flailing, exuberant Torahku on the left.

"_C'mon!"_ she had yelled as she burst from Tohru's room and stomped straight towards her two unsuspecting older cousins. _"We're going!"_

"_G-gwaahh, w-what're you doing?" _Torahku exclaimed.

Sarutoubi had quirked an eyebrow up; _"Whoa Izuna-chan, w-where are we going?"_

Izuna eyed her cousin now; his personality had been changing constantly since he had shown his true self to most of the zodiac members. It was almost as if he didn't know which side of him he favoured more.

In fact, it almost seemed like Sarutoubi _himself_ was confused as to which side he was supposed to be. Maybe he was already too used to being airheaded that it was awkward to act smart around everyone. Maybe he thought that he wouldn't be accepted by his intelligence, but his mind countered that everyone knew anyway. Maybe he just confused himself.

Sarutoubi immediately sensed her gaze on him and gave her a quick side-glance, which Izuna promptly sighed to.

_How can he be the same cousin that broke mother's vase when I was little?_ Izuna wondered. _How could _that_ cousin be so analytical, so intelligent, so—_

"W-whoa…!" Torahku exclaimed as he tripped on his own feet.

—_so unlike Torahku nii-san,_ she laughed.

"Umm, don't cats always land on their feet?" Sarutoubi scoffed as he and Izuna walked past the fallen tiger.

"S-shut up…!" Torahku protested as he stood himself up and ran to catch up with them.

They had walked clear across the entire estate and were following Sarutoubi as he led them away from the Sohma home; completely unaware of where they were going, almost as if their legs were moving on their own.

"Where do you think he would be?" Torahku mused.

"I thought that he'd be checking up on Haru-chan. That would make sense, wouldn't it?" Izuna answered.

"Yeah, but Rin Oba-chan said she hadn't seen him all day." Sarutoubi sighed as he rested his hands behind his head.

"What if he skipped town?" the tiger suggested as Sarutoubi rolled his eyes.

"Honestly dude, this _isn't_ a video game." Sarutoubi's expression suddenly turned distant as he muttered. "His entire upbringing was in the estate… there's no way _any of us_ could make it out there alone…"

Izuna's eyes narrowed at her cousin, who smirked slightly at her. "Not that I've tried it or anything."

After a good hour of walking aimlessly around the forest, which was the pinnacle of action mere days ago, Torahku thought to mention something he _knew_ was on the minds of everyone.

"I think we're lost…" the tiger muttered, causing Sarutoubi to stumble a little.

"Please," Izuna rolled her eyes, slightly unsure herself, but not wanting to disprove Sarutoubi. "Sarutoubi Nii-san would _never_ get us lost!"

Torahku suddenly pulled a, very unfitting, sly smile at the tensed-up back of the Sohma monkey.

"So, _I'm_ still the only one who knows, huh Sarutoubi?" Torahku said cheekily.

The monkey gave no response.

"Knows what…? What's he talking about Nii-san?"

Still, no response was given.

"You're the mastermind, dude." Torahku went on, "Either you tell her, or I do."

"Alright, alright…!" Sarutoubi suddenly burst, turning to face the two with an indignant expression. "I have something of a—" he incomprehensibly mumbled the last bit of his sentence.

Torahku slung his arm across his best friends shoulder as he prodded, "C'mon man, this is horribly out of character on your part."

"Oh, and _you're_ the truthful, virtuous one?" Sarutoubi retaliated as Izuna sighed.

He was stalling; she was sure.

"Fine, fine… I've got no sense of direction, okay?" Sarutoubi finally said; leaving Izuna in a state of confusion, ad creating a smug smile of Torahku's already smirking face.

"W-what…? How is that possible?" Izuna exclaimed.

Sarutoubi began, "Well…"

"Allow me to explain," Torahku jumped in, already lonely from the lack of attention on himself. "This monkey has a certain condition we like to call: _wanderlust_ and, just like the name implies, if he doesn't have a game on hand, he'll continue to roam around and around with no real sense of where he's going." Torahku laughed, "In fact, you should've seen this one time when we were six and Saru—"

Smacking the talkative tiger upside the head, Sarutoubi sighed, "Thank you Tora-kun, that'll be all. I think Inu-chan gets it."

Izuna smiled wearily at her cousin. "Well, it's a good thing I'm here then, right?"

"H-huh, why…?"Torahku tried to push in, but Sarutoubi cut him off by scoffing knowingly.

"Exactly," the monkey nodded at his cousin. "You're the wolf here, so why don't you go ahead and sniff out that rat?"

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